


"Reincarnation" Madness

by 09Pyros_09Hydros



Category: Homestuck
Genre: "reincarnation", All out confusion, Alphaverse misunderstanding and making theories and conspiracies, Angst, Ashen Romance | Auspistice, Caliginous Romance | Kismesis, Conspiracies, Death, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, God Tier, Guardians are possibly losing their heads, Guardians in the game, Guardians on the Meteor and Prospitian Ship, Guardians!Human!Adult!Beta Trolls, Human! Jaspers, Human! Sawtooth, Human! Squarewave, Humanstuck, I'm looking at you Jude, Insanity, Kids in the Alphaverse, M/M, MeteorStuck ish, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Multi, Mystery, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, People swap, Post-Sburb/Sgrub, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Somewhat Amnesia, Things get crazy here people, alpha guardians - Freeform, ish, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-04-08 05:32:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14098317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/09Pyros_09Hydros/pseuds/09Pyros_09Hydros
Summary: When their custodians, guardians, parents and elder siblings disappear things have gone quite depressing; but when younger and different versions of them appear things get chaotically confusing.Misunderstandings and conspiracy theories abound as John and his friends appear in the Alphaverse through means they don't remember. Meanwhile their counterparts appear in The Medium, confused but slowly figuring things out as they explore the mysterious meteor and golden ship.John didn't know what happened, Johnathon didn't know either. All they know was one moment they were there, and the next, they were somewhere else entirely. But one thing they do know; it was going to be a hell of a time getting back. If only they could remember what happened!





	1. Confusing Switch

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo.
> 
> Turns out I have no restraint when it comes to making this kind of stories. Sorry, I just can't help it T^T. 
> 
> Anyway, as some would probably notice; this story is almost similar to my other story "Stubborn Flocks", kind of is and admittedly I was kind of inspired while making the next chapter of SF. My thought went: 
> 
> "This chapter's coming along nicely, Qrow's alright, Jasprosesprite is here, I wonder if--WAIT WHAT IF I DID _THIS KIND OF DIFFERENT BUT WITH MORE PEOPLE 8O OMG THAT WOULD BE INSANE AND BLAH BLAH BLAH ~~CONSULT MOIRAIL LIKE ALWAYS AND RAMBLE LIKE A DORK ABOUT NEW STORY IDEA AND SEEK APPROVAL~~ BLAH BLAH BLAH_." Etc etc. The normal thought process of a writer.
> 
> So same idea-ish, but different approach. I realy do hope you enjoy it though! Just like my other stories; I have plans for this thing! ~~Let's hope it goes through tho and not crash and burn~~
> 
> Anyway, ON TO THE STORY!
> 
> Btw if you don't get the tags; essentially some of the Alpha versions aka Post-Scratch switch with their Beta counterparts in the game and the latter in their universe. Somehow. Kind of different. Just read to find. Please?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SHIT, so uh. Sorry, I accidentally posted the story before it was supposed to be out and the chapter wasn't even done. Sorry to those who saw that.
> 
> Anyway, sorry for that and I hope you enjoy the full chapter! This is a fun concept to poke at, I love misunderstandings sometimes. It's a fun thing to make a story out of.

* * *

" _WHAT THE FUCK? Where the hell are we??!!_ " A black haired tan-skinned man shouted, panic in his voice as he looked around frantically with red eyes. He was in his late twenties but looked a bit younger than his age, he wore black jeans and a grey hoodie with a white Cancer symbol stitched on the front right above his heart. In his hands was a thin letter that he clutched tightly as he was filled with sudden anxiety.

"Karkat, please calm down! I am confused as well but please cease from shouting!" A dark-skinned woman shouted, short black hair frazzled a bit but had a few pins in her hair keeping it tiday. Her jade green eyes looked beseechingly at him to calm down thought it had little effort as the man hyperventilated, she also seemed to be young but was the same age as the others if a bit a few much older. She wore a flowy white blouse, a jade and black pencil skirt with the Virgo symbol stitched into the skirt and decorating her belt, on her face was a pair of thin rectangular glasses and around her shoulders a single line of measuring tape.

"Kanaya's right Karkat, you've gotta calm down! I don't know what's going on either, I was exercising at the gym and now I'm here too!" Urged another woman, though her skin was light than the other and her hair, a deep dark brown that stopped at chin-length. Olive green eyes glancing at the two and bouncing with nervous energy, her hair was wild and her skin was slick with sweat, she wore a black sports bra and her knuckles were wrapped with bandages, around her waist was an olive green jacket and she wore a pair of slim blue pants with a black Leo symbol at the waist hem. 

"Um, I, I don't know what's going on. How did we get here, I was, I was just looking for Rufioh and then I'm here." Across them, two men stood together. One had dark brown hair in a growing mohawk that seemed to suit him, he wore a sleeveless brown shirt with the Taurus symbol stitched on the back in black, he wore knee-length cut shorts that didn't hide a particular attachment to the man; his prosthetic legs that were attached to his thighs. They were well-made, but though it was the most eye-catching on the man, the scars on his tanned olive skin that were visible also drew attention frequently though it didn't really bother the man with clear brown eyes that had seen so much.

"Woah, what. Shit, I-wait, Karkat? Tavros? The motherfuck?" The other man cursed in clear confusion, he was a tall man, easily the tallest out of the group of adults and his purple eyes. His black hair usually a wild mane that transcended definition was tied back into a tight and short pony-tail as paint smeared his pale skin and the messy smock he wore above his polka-dotted purple t-shirt, his grey yoga pants were also stained and in his hands was a thick paint brush and a can of red paint, a glob of bright red splashes on the ground from his paint brush.

"D! I don't, wait,  _Jaiden?_ Rosalin! " To the side, a tan-ish man in his early 50s exclaimed in confusion as he looked at the three before him. He ran an old and calloused hand through his greying hair, narrowed blue eyes behind square-framed glasses and mustache framing his frown, he wore a light blue button-up shirt with a nice black tie tied in a bow on him, his clean pink-tinted dress pants would have been amused in any other sitaution than right of the moment.

"Johnny? D, Rosie!" A bronze old woman also in her early 50s shouted in excitement but also confusion and wariness as her long grey hair tied back in a bun, circular glasses that did little to hide her confused green eyes as she shift uneasily in her elbow-lengthed-sleeved button up blouse and tan brown long skirt, a rifle tucked behind her back. 

"Johnathon, brother, Jaiden?" She was in her late 20s, black lips on pale skin and lavender eyes observing in trepidation. Blonde hair neat and tidy, neck hidden and wrapped by a pink scarf, she wore a white grey blouse with long sleeves and a black pencil skirt. At her side, in her hands was her leather bag which held her laptop and other items. 

"Old man Crockdork, Jade, Rose... So, does anyone know where we are?" The final man deadpanned with a hidden nervous tone, he was pale with observant red eyes hidden behind black aviators. He wore a casual long-sleeved red shirt with white printed text on it sloppily and shittily spelling 'where doing this man, where making this hapen' on his back and white pants. 

"Don't look at me pretty boy, I have noooooooo idea where the fuck we are." The final woman in the room sneered with one cerulean eye, the other was covered and hidden by her glasses which had a black lens, she flipped her long hair over her shoulder and her arm held her other. Besides the hidden eye, the other interesting thing to note about her was the fact her other arm was a prosthetic. She wore a black vest with a cerulean undershirt, she wore blue jeans with a black Scorpio symbol stitched on top of her pockets. She shuffled uneasily, eyeing everyone with wary but seemed to relax a bit at the sight of the man with legs prosthetics. 

The old man coughed, bringing attention to himself, "Alright now settle down, I believe we need to calm down and think this through. And I suppose introduce ourselves as well, my name is Johnathan Crocker, it is a pleasure to meet you all." Johnathan said with a cheerful smile.

The old woman chuckled, "Alway the peacekeeper huh Johnny? Hello there, I'm Jaiden English, Johnny's older sister." Jaiden said, sharing a grin with Johnathan. She looped a hand around his neck, pinching his cheek much to his mock dismay. 

"I suppose I am next, salutations. I am Rosaline Lalonde." Nodded Rosaline, "I don't suppose anyone knows how they got here? I only recall leaving my favorite cafe to return home." 

"David Strider, and nope, sorry big sis but all I remember was going out of the house to meet with my assistant." Deadpanned David, though his hands curled a bit. "And then the next thing I know I'm fucking here." He motions to their surroundings. 

Karkat growled, "I was out getting my mail when  _fuck_ knows what happened." He takes a deep breath, "Karkat Vantas, fuckin'  _great_ to meet you all, or see you shits again whichever." He snarks, nodding to the others who nodded back. 

"I am Kanaya Maryam, and similarly enough, I was fulfilling my latest comission dress and now I am here." Kanaya says, taking off her glasses and frowning, "It was a strange thing, I blinked and suddenly..." she trailed off. 

"I know the feeling, Gamzee Makara everyone, though these guys," Gamzee motioned to the others except Johnathan, Rosaline, David and Jaiden, "know who I am. I was just painting a motherfucker and now I'm not." He motions towards his bucket of paint and paintbrush. 

"Nepeta Leijon," Nepeta said briefly, pausing to use her jacket to wipe her forehead, "Yeah it was weird, I was taking a small break from my workout at the gym and then I'm hearing Karkat's screaming!" She said, aiming a smile at Karkat who huffed at her, giving her a glare. 

"Um, Tavros, Nitram. Nice to meet you, uh, did you guys really just blink? Not black out or uh, anything?" Tavros questioned nervously, scratching his head sheepishly when the others shook their heads, "Oh..." 

"Vriska Serket, well whatever the fuck happened I'm going to find out, one way or another." Vriska declared, walking out of the room. Tavros quickly went after her, the others following suit after a few moments of thinking. 

"Vrisk wait! You shouldn't go off on your own like that!" Tavros told her, frown on his face, "This, um, this isn't a normal kidnapping." He says softly, looking back to the others. 

The one eyed woman snorted, "No shit Sherlock." She snarked before giving him a frown, "Normal kidnappers don't just let us roam free. But whatever it is, I'm not just going to sit by. Terezi should have noticed our sudden disappearance and doubt contacted the old crew, she'll take care of Aranea and Rufioh but I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing." 

Tavros gave her a soft look that she ignored. Behind them the others conversed among themselves. Soon enough they came upon another room, one that was decorated with colorful fabrics, potted plants and other things. The plants seemed a bit withered but not dead and somewhat healthy. 

The adults looked around warily, observing the big room. "Where are we?" Nepeta asked with a frown, hands brushing against the slightly withered plants, "These plants haven't been watered in a while." She noted. 

Johnathan wandered towards a desk which was covered in books, he skimmed through the titles and books only to pause as he catches something familiar. He squints and his eyes widened, "Rosaline!" He called out, everyone turning to him as he hunched over an open book, "Rosaline I think you should see this." 

Rosaline's brow quirked but she quickly came to his side, the others going closer as well with the exception of Vriska and Tavros who spotted a terminal with multiple monitors. 

"What is it Johnny?" Jaiden asked, looking over his shoulder as Rosaline suddenly seemed to tense. 

"Rosie?" David poked at his sister who began muttering underneath her breath, "Yo, earth to Rosaline, what's the hold up?"

The blonde haired woman turned to look at him with serious eyes, "It's a handwritten diary it seems." 

"So?"

"It's written in  _my_ handwriting, I have no recollection ever writing this." 

Karkat snapped from behind them, "What the fuck do you mean Lalonde?" 

Kanaya frowned and lightly scolded Karkat before turning to her, "What does it say?" 

Rosaline hefted the big book, reading aloud. 

4/13 : Year 1 on the Metoer

It has been approximately 365 days since Dave and I met up with Karkat and the others. An entire year after escaping our doomed session, a session that we scratched in hope we could win this game.

Today also signifies John's birthday, I hope he's enjoying his time with Jade on the Prospitian Battle Ship. It will take quite a while for us to see them again, when exactly, well it seems we will not be able to see them until we arrive in the new session with the Scratched Players. Navigating the Furthest Ring is no easy task, time and space as I said before does not exist in a linear fashion here. 

The estimation for our arrival is 2 more years. 

The past year has been filled with getting to know our fellow meteormates, I have been spending most of my time with Kanaya while Dave is ultimately spending half of his time with the dersite dubbed as 'The Mayor', they have taken to alchemizing many cans for their 'Can Town' which is impressively huge and well built. 

Karkat, Terezi and Nepeta have been taken by this Mayor fellow as well, he is quite the gentleman isn't he? At any rate, Can Town might as well evolve into Can City at the rate the 5 are going at, though Karkat and Dave regularly argue on the street names, the locations for certain cans and the like. Kanaya thinks they will end in a quadrant soon enough and I am beginning to believe her as I listen to my brother's woes about Karkat. 

Tavros and Vriska contine to avoid each other, as well as Gamzee continuing to avoid Nepeta and Kanaya, which is... good for the clown I suppose as Nepeta and Kanaya repeatedly go 'Clown Hunting' around the meteor and patrol to try and catch him. Karkat has finally promised both of them not to kill Gamzee or fatally injure him, much to their dismay but Karkat really does care for the murderous clown disbelievingly enough. 

Before Rosaline could continue the odd entry, which had everyone very confused since they were sure nothing happened and both Kanaya and Nepeta were quite sure that they didn't want to kill Gamzee, who was  _far_ from murderous! 

Not to mention a lot of the terms mentioned in the entry were strange, just what was this about a meteor? A 'Prospitian' Battle Ship?  _Qaudrants?_

"Hey guys! Come, uh, come here! Vriska and I managed to get the monitors up and active!" Tavros called out, urging them to come over. They looked at each in wary but did as he said, Rosaline still carrying the journal tome in her hands and was frequently glancing at it.

They gathered around Tavros and Vriska, Tavros was sitting down and typing into the terminal, Vriska was helping as well, though not as much as she'd like it seems as her prosthetic arm could only go so fast. 

The monitors flickered on but were showing only static, "Just a, a bit more." Tavros murmured, and one monitor blinked, no longer showing static. 

It showed...

* * *

"EGBERT!"

John blinked from his spot on the couch, "Which one Karkat, there are two of us now." John teased, earning a laugh from Dave as they both continued to play the video game that they recently bought.

Karkat rolled his red eyes, growling, "The buck-toothed shithead that thought it was a good idea to use up all the fucking abulation block items for his pranking war shenanigans yesterday! We barely have any left idiot, go buy some more! Besides, Rose is nowhere near here right now, she stayed back in the library, so you're the only Egbert in the vicinity" Snapped the nubby horned troll, growling as looked at the two teen males playing on the couch. 

Dave snickered, "Dude, it's _bathroom_ , I thought you were over the troll vernacular?" while John complained. 

"What, why do _I_ have to go? Can't you go? Aren't you and the others getting better at that, transmorigify-ing thing? You know the thing where you turn to humans? Did you not say you were getting better at that Karkat?" 

"Oh shut the fuck up Dave! I'm  _getting_ _over it_ , but not completely, it's hard to break out of fucking habit alright?! And _you_ ," barked the troll while pointing at John, "You're responsible for the shortage so you should go and buy it shitstain! It's not like you and Dave have anything better to fucking do beside stay inside. Besides! I already used my time as a human to go to the fucking library this morning with Rose, you know, the place where knowledge is stored in thin ass pieces of paper pressed together?! I've been looking up more shit for out lives, and it's hard work to do it!" 

Before John or Dave could say anything else, Jade popped her head from the kitchen, "He's kinda right, besides, we're low on food too! Can you guys go and buy the groceries? Hold on, I'll go make a list!" 

John groaned, "But Jaaaaaaaade, the gaaaaaaaame." John whined, both Karkat and Dave snorted. 

"You've been spending too much time with Vriska man, I could practically hear those 16 letter a's." Dave chuckled, pecking John on the cheek when the windy boy pouted. 

"Weeeeeeeell he  _is_ my moirail  _Harley_." Vriska retorted, sauntering into the room and sitting beside John, "So I heard you guys are going on a grocery run, I'm in." She smirked, ruffling John's hair. 

"Vriska, you know I hate it when you do that!" John protested, leaning into Dave to get away from her grubby hands. 

Karkat sighed as he sat beside Dave, "This is my life now, living with a bunch of fucking idiots in a world that's not ours and trying to blend in in an alien species." He bemoaned, grumbling as Dave papped his cheek, "I don't need to be papped Dave I'm just making my fucking point asshole." 

"Yeah well, you love these idiots, especially this idiot here wearing these awesome pair of shades and somehow that juggalo clown who- _is_ missing again, where the fuck is Gamzee by the way?" Dave asked, frowning as he looked around suspiciously, he could hear a hiss in the kitchen and the sound of honking, "Oh wait, nevermind, he's in the kitchen messin' with Nepeta again." 

Karkat groaned before shouting out, "GAMZEE! GET YOUR MAKE-UP WEARING BONE BULGE IN HEAR YOU CHUCKLEFUCK!" There was a distinct crash in the kitchen, the sound of feral hiss and the dismayed honk that happened for a moment before Gamzee walked out, pouting with a small cut on his cheek, Nepeta popped her head out of the kitchen with an angry hiss. 

"And stay out!" She yelled before popping back in, Jade's tired groan was heard. 

She shouted from the kitchen, " _We_ _need new cups! Again!_ " 

Karkat glared at the incoming juggalo troll who's pout transformed into a lazy smile, "'Sup Karbro, what'cha need my red heart?" He asked lazily, before sitting between Karkat's legs and laying his head on the mutant's thigh, looking up at the unamused mutant with 'innocent' eyes. 

Karkat sighed, "Gamzee I told you to leave Nepeta alone whenever she's in the kitchen with Jade remember? You guys are forbidden to do your pitch shenanigans near breakable objects." Gamzee whined but nodded, mumbling nonsense into Karkat's thigh as the smaller troll began to pet at Gamzee's head. 

Dave snorted, John and Vriska snickered and finally Jade came out, dog ears twitching and tail swaying as she handed John a list, "That should be everything we need for the next two months!" She declared before huffing at Gamzee, "Honestly Gamzee, don't start stuff with Nepeta in the kitchen! We can't keep replazing the dishes every time you two go at it with each other in the kitchen!" 

With that, both John and Vriska began to laugh, Gamzee huffed from his place at Karkat's lap while Karkat rolled his eyes at the blue-ish duo. Dave took the list and looked at it, "Huh, we need a lot of shit. Do we even have enough to pay for all of this?" 

Jade nodded resolutely, "We do! Things have been going well for everyone in the last week, we managed to get enough money to buy more food  _and_ we might be able to do some repairs here! We can't keep relying on alchemizing stuff, besides, alchemized food is just isn't the same as real food, and you know I get tired teleporting on to the planets!" She said, said planets were floating along the air in her room, the three planets ever rotating in the fake decorative sun both she and Nepeta created for aesthetics. 

Dave nodded, accepting a wallet from Jade, "Cool, c'mon John, might as well go now and finish our game later." John sighed but agreed, hugging Vriska before following Dave out of the room and out of the house. 

The blue-eyed Heir looked back to their house, it was an old house, big enough to fit the twelve of them. It was previously abandoned and hardly worked before they moved in and fixed it as they could. 

They moved into their new home about 6 months ago. 

And 6 months ago, they didn't even exist in this universe. 

Kind of. 

Their story was complicated, and the problem was; they don't even remember how they got here. They had just awoken in a forest, near the beach, and they couldn't remember what happened. They remembered their names, each other and somehow, the trolls had actually god tiered when they remembered they hadn't minus Vriska. 

When they first started out, the trolls had to hide and stay indoors until Karkat accidentally discovered the ability to switch his species and turn human, something that the others had to finding out later, but it wasn't very comfortable they had said, it felt wrong and they could only hold it for so long. Before, they could hold it for a couple of hours, now though, their progress made it so they could stay human for a good 6 hours. After that, they needed to rest for at least another hour before they can try again.

Whatever happened to them, they were in a new universe where they essentially don't exist though. At least, John Egbert and Jade Harley didn't exist, Dave Strider and Rose Lalonde  _kind of_ exist, and the trolls... 

Things were weird when they found out that the trolls turned to humans and were the adult custodians to the human dancestors. And even weirder when the kids found their adult counterparts, David Strider and Rosaline Lalonde, Johnathan Crocker and Jaiden English, it was strange! 

They didn't know what to do, then they found out their counterparts had mysteriously disappeared 6 months before they had appeared. Rose thought there was a connection, but she couldn't really research on it properly without asking Dirk, Jake, Roxy and Jane, who had no recollection about the game and had no idea they existed. 

It was decided that it was better to keep it that way, their existence couldn't be explained, but the trolls, Dave and Rose couldn't exactly keep their names since their names already existed. So John and Jade offered their names, the trolls declined, thinking of something else while Dave and Rose accepted, becoming Dave Harley and Rose Egbert and essentially adopted siblings in the eyes of the public.

Jade worked meticulously to set them up and make fake identities for them, or at least, register them into the internet so people wouldn't get too suspicious. She wasn't as good as Dirk, Roxy or Sollux but it would have to do. They all found the house early on in the 1st month, and the first few weeks were kind of hard on the house since they had to repair the household. 

It went by faster when Jade revealed that for some reason, and somehow she had LOLAR and LOWAS with her. But teleporting them to the planet back and forth tired her out quickly, her connection to the green sun wasn't as strong as before. 

As for their god tier status, well, their powers don't seem as potent or powerful here as it was in the game. They could still do pretty powerful stuff, but it tired them quickly, though training helps a bit, they've made a make-shift training area behind the house where they strifed each other. 

"John, stop spacing out dork and help me find all of this shit."

John blinked before grinning at his boyfriend, "Right, right. Hey, think we can buy some more shaving cream too? I just thought of something sweet." 

Dave groaned making him laugh. 

* * *

 

"Hey Dad, is it alright if we bought this instead of that?" 

James Crocker laughed, giving Jane a warm smile, "Of course honey, it's your list after all." James watched his daughter grin happily, putting a big bag of chocolates into the cart while taking out the smaller bag they previously had, she was so excited to have her school's bake sale!

He hummed as he followed along his daughter, pushing along the cart as he left the shopping to Jane. She had grown up so fast, her 18th birthday was coming so soon!

His smile faltered a bit as he remembered the fact that his own father's birthday was also coming, sharing it with his granddaughter...

It's been an entire year since his father, Johnathan Crocker, or Poppop, as he usually went by Jane, disappeared without a trace. He simply vanished into thin air one day while James and Jane were out of the house, when they returned, they found nothing out of the ordinary and his father was gone. 

It wasn't very concerning until he didn't show up the next day, and the day after that, and the week after, a month, two. And it wasn't just him. Three other family friends had disappeared, David Strider, Rosaline Lalonde, and even James' aunt Jaiden English!

No one knows what happened, but the result devastated the families. Jasper had nearly gone around the bend with the disappearance of his wife but Roxy, Jasper and Rosaline's daughter and Jane's best friend, and the others as well as himself helped him back to his feet. 

Jude hired many investigators to try and find them, trying to find his mother and Jake's grandmother, Joey moved back in with Jude after Jaiden's disappearance. 

Young Dirk Strider were taken in by David's childhood friends and close companions, Damien and Kevin, they were a fine pair of gentlemen who worked as DJs, Sawtooth and Squarewave, just as famous as David was. 

James shook his head, he couldn't get all mopey and sad, his father wouldn't want that for him especially with Jane's birthday coming in! He had to stay positive for his daughter and he couldn't let it bother him too much. 

The fatherly gentleman hummed as he looked around before a certain aisle caught his attention, he called out to Jane, "Jane?" 

Jane's head popped up from the aisle that held the baking powders, "Yes dad?" 

"Honey I'm going to the shaving cream aisle alright? I'm running out of shaving cream." 

Jane giggled, "Alright! Just leave the cart with me!" James nodded and gave Jane the cart filled with baking material and wandered towards the many cans of shaving cream. 

He hummed a jaunty tune as he looked around, looking for a specific brand. It was a brand that he and his father have used for many years, both as shaving cream and pranking material! He chuckled as he remembered the times he tried to one-up his master prankster of a father, the pride and joy when he finally did and the warmth as his father congratulated him and told him he was proud. He smiled sadly at the memories before shaking his head and pushing them away. 

He looked around before noticing the cans, he smiled and took a can in hand. 

"Now, where was tha- _ack!_ " Was what he heard before he felt someone collide to his back and heard a small crash of items fall to the floor. "Ow!" 

He turns a bit and sees the grocery items on the floor and sputters, "Oh dear! My apologies, I didn't see you there." He kneels and began to pick them up, returning them to the bright green shopping basket with smaller hands doing the same, he hears a sheepish chuckle. 

"Ah, no worries, it was my fault anyway! I wasn't paying attention!" James chuckled, before noticing that the hands were putting a few cans of shaving cream into the basket, the same cream he had been holding a few moments ago, a few cans must have fallen from the shelf as well.

He finally looks up to the young man who bumped into him and instantly he's staring into frighteningly familiar deep blue eyes, a familiar face staring back at him though _much_ younger, the features were so familiar and recognizable from the pictures he's seen of his own father when he was young. 

A young man, possibly the same age as his own daughter, stared back at him with wide eyes and a spitting image of his own father.

His own brain stuttered for a moment as he took in the impossibly familiar face, from the buckteeth to the square glasses and the _hair_. 

"U-uh, sorry about that sir."

They both jolt as a voice comes from the corner.

"Yo John! Hurry up and get your shaving cream so we can get this to the counter and go home!" 

'John' ( _John? Short for_ **Johnathan?** ) quickly gets to his feet, lifting the shopping basket with him, "Right! Coming Dave, hold on! So uh, sorry again, bye!" He says in a hurry, quickly leaving. 

James watches him leave, still in a stunned state, his mind frozen as he looked at the direction 'John' went to and to the shelf of shaving cream. 

' _... Dad...?_ ' 

* * *

 

"Dude, I saw my Dad! Or well, not really, it was Dad Crocker!" John whispered to Dave as they got in line for the check out counter, Dave pushing a shopping cart filled with food and John beside him carrying a shopping basket, "It was so weird! And I think, I think he recognized me?" He asks, a bit doubtful.

Dave paused and looked at John, mouth frowning, "That... That is probably not a good thing, you look _exactly_ like old you Crocker, because he's an alternate you obviously but... I don't know, I think we should talk with Rose." He whispered back, pushing along the cart as the line moved.  

Unkown to them, Rose was unknowingly encountering the same thing as she was also in line towards the counter and holding a certain book in her hands, smiling gently while a certain duo watched with gaped mouths from a distance. 

* * *

The adults let out a surprised noise as the monitor flickered to life, showing a young Rose and Dave wearing strange clothing and sitting at a table that was somewhere in the room. 

Rosaline and David stared at their 'younger selves', gasping as they hear them speak from the monitor. They were talking to each other about something they didn't really understand, something about a 'Scratched session'? 

"Just what the fuck is going on here..." Karkat whispered as he looked at the screen before growling, "I don't have time for this! I need to get back to Kankri, he's gotta be worried sick by now!" 

Johnathan murmurs, "My son and granddaughter, they should be home by now..." 

David gripped the back of Tavros' chair, "My lil' bro's gonna be pissed if I missed his first gig." 

Nepeta gasped, "Karkat look!" She pointed at the screen, as something, or some _one_ entered the room. 

He had familiar black hair but also had candy-corn styled nubby horns, his skin was grey and later the found his pupils a dark red that seemed to get lighter and lighter every time they saw him and those pupils were on a yellow sclera, he wore a black sweater with a grey Cancer symbol stitched at the front and his voice... 

" _'Sup Karkles, how's it going?_ " 

"What the motherfuck?!" Karkat shrilled. 

The 'Karkat' on the screen growled, " _Nothing is up Strider, mind your own fucking business._ " He continued on off screen. 

Just what was going on?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAND thats pretty much it. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! Concepts like these are so much fun to write with, anyway, again, sorry for the accidental posting before it was done but now it is and that was the first chapter! 
> 
> Till the next chapter guys, bye!


	2. Let it Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, writing the trolls as human guardians aged up to be big siblings or parents is kind of weird, ya know? I'm used to writing them as kids or as teens and whatever, but here we are, adult Terezi as a mother to teen Latula...
> 
> Anyway, insanity begins with the glimpse of the others and lots of things that's going to happen soon. Also, apologies for the OOC characters ish, but it is an AU and all soo, :T

* * *

Jasper Lalonde was a happy husband, he was a gentlemanly person, with black hair in shape of what both his wife and daughter would often tease as 'cat ears' and gleaming bright pink eyes that Roxy inherited from her birth. Currently he was accompanying his daughter to buy a few more school supplies since hers had run out mid-semester; she had run out of glitter pens and cat stickers! Which was clearly unacceptable. Jasper thought with a fond chuckle.

At the same time, he had run out of a few supplies himself, he needed more ink and more paper and a new stapler, being a business dad was hard work. James would agree with him of course. Being the fellow ever-loving father as well, Roxy and Jane were the best of friends and quite close, they as well as Jake and Dirk who were newly-formed boyfriends. It was a recent development but no one was opposed to the get together of the two teens, they all supported it actually and he knows that both Dirk and Jake were relieved of that fact. 

Though from what Damien and Kevin had told him, Dirk was still somewhat worried what David would think of him even though both guardians reassured him plenty of times that his older brother would have been 100% supportive, and knowing the blonde he totally would have. But from there, it would usually lead to the three of them silencing at the thought of the missing elder.

Thinking of the disappearance of David made him think of Rosaline, his dear beloved wife who also disappeared without a trace near just a year ago. 

He lost his smile at the thought of that. 

Rosaline had been leaving her favorite cafe before she suddenly disappeared or so say the people that have seen her before she ultimately vanished, it was the same for the others though with the exception of Johnathan who seemed to have vanished from his own home without a trace. 

It had been almost a complete year since the four have disappeared, without a sound, a trace, nothing. It was as if they had never existed in the first physical place but on the contrary,  _they did exist_ , they left physical evidence that they had existed. Jasper had once felt or thought for the first few weeks after Rosaline's disappearance was that she had never existed, but was quickly proven otherwise when Roxy got hold of him and helped him back on his legs. 

He had been falling apart without his beloved wife, barely functioning until Roxy, Joey and the others quite firmly reminded that he couldn't be falling apart, not when he still had a daughter to look after and friends supporting him even though they had experienced the same event with their missing family members. 

Looking back, it had been selfish of him to fall apart but now he was fine, he was being a good father and family friend in keeping an eye on everyone. He and the others still held hope that the missing were alive, somewhere out there. But with each month slipping by, it was a bit hard to keep it from wavering but they managed, still keeping intense hope that they were alive and well but worrying over why they vanished without a word and why they had yet to come back. 

Jude had once theorized that something happened that involved the government or what-not, though that was inner-conspiracy-obsessed childhood talking; he  _had_ been obsessed with conspiracies and such when they were younger and though he was a mature adult now with Jake as his son, he was still quite attached to them but not as intense as before. 

"Hey Dad look! They're having a book-sale, wanna check it out?" Roxy asked him with a grin, breaking him from his train of thought. 

The pink-eyed father smiled in return, "Of course, perhaps the book that I've been looking for is available and on sale today." 

Jasper laughed as Roxy eagerly tugged him into the store, it was a familiar one he realized and his heart gave an aching twinge as he sees a particular series of books for sale. Roxy noticed as Jasper came closer to the books, smiling somberly as he picked one up. 

_Complacency of the Learned._

Rosaline's book series that was quite popular, even after a year had passed regarding to her disappearance. 

It was a magnificent piece of work, one that he and Roxy had read so often they practically knew the books by heart. 

The last book had been left on a pain-staking and hair-raising cliffhanger that would stay as such until Rosaline was found or came back. 

He ignored the little negative whisper of  _no she was nevercomingback_ and put the book back down as Roxy hugged his side, looking at him in concern. 

"Are you okay Dad? We can leave if you want." He shook his head and replied, "No, I'm alright Roxy, no need to worry. Let's peruse through the books on sale today, it would be a shame not to." Roxy gave him a hesitant look but smiled brightly, tugging him to the other books on sale and together they waded through the many books. Finding many interesting ones or old books that were on sale that they were familiar with, Roxy had found two books she had wanted to buy while Jasper was still looking. 

They spent quite the time in the store with Roxy commenting on a few books, making him laugh as she exaggerated in reading some of the summaries. 

In the end, Jasper found two books to buy and Roxy had three. 

Just as they were about to head to the counter however, his eyes glanced back at Complacency books on sale, only to freeze and concerning Roxy as he saw a familiar but different figure standing by, picking up the latest yet-year-old Complacency book. 

"Dad? Dad, what's wro--!" Roxy froze as well as the figure turned, revealing more of herself but was too focused on the book to notice both Jasper and Roxy staring at her. 

She looked  _exactly_ like Rosaline,  _but younger_. 

Jasper had grown with Rosaline, knowing  _very_ well on what his wife looked like when she was younger and this girl -  _she looked like a carbon copy of his Rosaline._

The same blonde hair, the same figure, same _hairband_ Rosaline used to wear frequently through their youth, and they were  _just_ close enough to see her  _lavender eyes_. The kind that was nearly unheard of, he was quite sure that his wife was the  _only_ person in the world, with those certain kind of lavender orbs - and yet, here was another but she, she was just like Rosaline, the mystery girl walked towards the counter and fell in line and then  _smiled_. 

A smile that both Roxy and Jasper were both intimately with. 

" _Rosaline/Mom?_ " They both breathed as the young girl, looking around to be  _Roxy's age_ , paid for the book and was on her way to leave; not noticing nor hearing the Lalonde duo staring at her with wide eyes. 

"Rose!" 

An unfamiliar voice called out as another female teen entered the store, jade eyes bright and aimed at  _Rose_ ( _Rosaline...?_ ), "Have you purchased what you wanted?" The unnamed teen asked softly, looking entirely at Rose and only at her. 

Rose looked up at her and her smile widened, "Oh yes," She said,  _her voice_ , "It was fortunate that they were having a sale today, I am glad they have, I still have money; do you want to stop buy and get a treat before heading back?" She asked, putting away her newly purchased book into a bag and left with the teen. 

Jasper and Roxy quickly left after them, nearly forgetting that they still had yet to buy the books in their holds and was quickly called back to pay for them. They had both been afterwards but left quickly to follow the teen that looked like Rosaline, but were disappointed as they had lost them.

"It wasn't just me right? She," Roxy inhaled a breath, looking confused and conflicted, "She looked like Mom but, younger?" 

Jasper nodded, "Yes, she did. And not only that, but she  _sounds_ like her as well." He murmured, unsure about what was going on. 

What  _was_ going on?

* * *

"Just  _what_  is going on here?" Terezi snapped, frowning expectantly as Latula and Mituna 'eeped' and Rufioh winced. The three teens were covered in batter, as was the rest of the kitchen, and there was a pot of  _something_ bubbling ominously on the stove. 

"They didn't listen to my warnings." Aranea said, scowling at the two teens responsible for the mess all over the kitchen. 

Terezi sniffed the air, making a face at the burnt smell and the scent of spices in the air. She sighed tiredly, taking off her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose as she leaned back. 

She was a woman in her very late twenties, dark auburn hair that passed on to her daughter as well as teal eyes but the damage she had sustained from one particular mission back when she was still in the military had them damaged to the point she was half-blind most of the time. Her eyes that used to be a clear teal were now slightly milky-looking and somewhat unfocused, and her eyes had somewhat retained a mostly-permanent tint of red but it was unnoticeable most of the time and besides, she usually had her prescript-ed red glasses on her face most of the time that mostly hid her eyes and the small scars around it. 

"Sorry Mom, we were just trying to make a cake." Latula mumbled petulantly, "For the... you know." 

Terezi sighed, yes, she did know. 

It was the reason why Aranea seemed more isolated and emotional, "I know, but next time have an adult look after you guys. Or  _someone_ who actually knows how to bake." She replied, stepping into the kitchen carefully, prodding around with her cane, she somewhat needed it, on days her vision was at its worst, like today. Fitting, somewhat. "now, why don't you guys clean the kitchen while I call Sollux to see if he's done with work."

"Yes, Mom/Auntie Rezi." Rufioh, Mituna and Latula chorused while Aranea sniffed in disdain and left the kitchen, proclaiming she was going to the park to meet Meenah. 

Well, it was better than having her sulk in her room. Which she had done frequently during the first month. She and Rufioh that is, they had both been effected badly when the news of their father and mother going missing. 

Vriska and Tavros. 

The nearly-blind woman frowned at the thought of her two closest friend disappearing, and it  _wasn't just them_. 

Karkat, Nepeta and Kanaya had gone missing as well. 

At the start, paranoia gnawed her endlessly, had they all been captured by an old enemy? Vriska, Tavros and her had quite the old adversaries from their time in the military, ones that lead to the loss of certain body parts and such i.e. Tavros' legs, Vriska's arm and eye and finally most of her sight. 

Vriska had blamed herself heavily on the loss of Tavros' legs and her partial blindness, both she and Tavros knocked her out of that and Vriska did the same when she blamed herself about Vriska's missing arm and eye. 

It had been a year since their disappearance and  _nothing_ , none of their old teammates had anything pertaining the 6 adults that went MIA. 

Karkat had gone out to check the mail said Kankri, he didn't come back after that and no one was around to see if he did just went out for mail and got kidnapped as disbelievingly enough. 

Nepeta had been at the gym, she came into the room she usually rented for her exercise and training and was never seen coming out. 

Kanaya had disappeared from her boutique, her assistants working themselves frazzled at her disappearance, her latest dress, left unfinished. 

Tavros had vanished in a park, looking for Rufioh who went into the woods with Horuss to make out, as Rufioh and Horuss admitted with much embarrassment and he never came back. 

Gamzee was at his studio when he disappeared, leaving Kurloz with Sollux and Mituna, seemingly painting away until he was discovered to be gone like the others. 

Vriska had gone for a walk, after an argument with Aranea that had them both fuming and leaving each other alone until they both cooled off and talked again at a later date on the subject of what they had argued about, but she vanished as well, it had Aranea blaming herself for months before they managed to convince her it wasn't her fault. 

With their guardians gone, the children were living with the others in the meantime. 

Terezi took in both Aranea and Rufioh. 

Equius took in Muelin while Sollux had Kurloz, Porrim stayed with Aradia and Kankri chose to stay with Eridan. 

After a year, they were still missing without  _anything_ , not even with the fact Terezi had contacted old allies and more, there was  _nothing_ that lead to anything for her missing friends. She had asked their old teammates, old connections they had built with during their young days in the military and more but again;  _nothing_ , it was... 

Disturbing, verily so. 

At any rate, even though the evidence say that the possibilities of them being dead were high, Terezi had a feeling they weren't, an instinct and her instincts were rarely wrong.  _Rarely_ wrong, her instincts were one of the reasons why they had all survive.

Terezi took out her phone, ringing up Sollux as she watched the others clean. 

" _What?_ " She grinned as she heard the nasally voice of her smartest friend, "Appleberry." That nickname went back to when they were really young.

" _TZ? What ith it?_ " 

"Just wanted to know, you almost done with work?" 

" _Not yet, thome idiot dethtroyed their computer thomehow and another made a mithtake with a therver tho I'll be here the whole day probably._ _I'll be at FF'th houthe tonight though, don't worry. Mind watching MT till then? Don't worry about KR, he'th at EQ'th houthe with Meulin ath uthual._ " 

Terezi hummed before informing Mituna on what his big brother told him, "Alright, just don't be late."

It was that time of the month again where they all gathered at a house to eat dinner, it was a tradition that started when they were young and they just kept it going; it was a good opportunity to catch up with everyone else in a person, they usually did this twice a month, or whenever there was an emergency. Like a year ago, when Karkat and the others disappeared right out of the blue, it had sent everyone into a frenzy.

"Kurloth ith with Muel, right?" Mituna asked as they were half-way done with their clean-up, "Can I go vithit them?"

Rufioh perked, "Can I go visit Horuss then?" 

Terezi thought about it, "Mm, maybe, first clean up your mess then I'll go phone Mister-Sweats-a-lot." Latula and Mituna snickered as Rufioh gave a small chuckle. 

The partially blind mother looked out to where Aranea left, "Aranea should be at the park, I'll leave her a message to where we're going, she knows where the spare keys are." She murmured as she looked back to where the three teens were finishing up their cleaning. 

* * *

John blinked as he and Dave left the shop. 

"Wait, I thought Vriska wanted in on the shopping. Where is she?" He asked as he looked around, just recalling now on how the cerulean troll wanted to come with them. And he faintly remembered seeing Vriska leave the house as well when he looked back, but it didn't seem that she was going with them. 

Dave shrugged, "I dunno man, who knows what's going on in that spider head of hers. Oh wait, you probably do since you're her moirail and all, that's gotta be scarring." Dave joked, making John huff and gave him a mock angry punch to the shoulder, they shared a laugh afterwards and walked back, unaware of the man that just exited the store, eyes zoning in instantly at John as he left with Dave. 

James looked around, but instantly spotted the mysterious 'John' laughing with a blonde teen his age and his mind stuttered a bit as he recognized the teen beside him. Blonde hair and  _exact_ pair of shades on his face?  _David_ , but, John had said 'Dave', which was, short for David. And John was short for Johnathan. Just what..?

His thoughts were interrupted when Jane's concerned voice, quickly he reassured her that he was fine but his mind kept going back to the two teens,  _especiall_ _y_ John...

* * *

Vriska hummed as she walked along the park, it was a different one compared to the one she and the others usually went to, a bit farther but it had nice scenery so it was worth coming there. 

At first she wanted to go with John and Dave on their grocery run but then thought otherwise, it was time she had a 'Me'-day. A day all to her own and as much as she loved John, in a pale way of course, everyone wanted some time to themselves. She avoided the crowded areas, preferring to go to places that were quiet in the meantime as she looked around and enjoyed the fresh air. 

Of course she was in her human disguise, it was weird on how they all had human disguises now; her and the other trolls, actually she wondered if John and the others had  _troll_ disguises, that'd be weird! 

Anyway, she liked her human disguise, or human self she guesses. 

She was a beautiful looking human she had to admit, she had long blonde hair and wore her usual clothes; a cerulean jacket with a black undershirt and blue jeans with red sneakers, she had unique cerulean eyes but it was weird on how she only had two pupils instead of eight, or even one as she had gotten used to having only one eye when Terezi blew if off with the magic cue ball. 

She frowned at the thought of Terezi, worry aching in her heart as she remembered the panic of her not appearing with them. John did a great job in calming her down, but she missed Terezi and was admittedly worried for her. Though she would remind herself that Terezi was a grown troll(ish, she hadn't had her molt yet of course) and could take care of herself. What disturbed her though, was that she couldn't remember on how Terezi was before they disappeared, again, they couldn't remember anything actually pertaining their appearance or why they appeared, it was something that everyone was looking into but not as much as they should admittedly because they were dealing on how to stay alive while they were in this universe. 

But Rose, Kanaya, Karkat and John were looking into it as best they can, with John slacking off a bit as expected but he wasn't the most research-y human out there like Rose. 

Her frown turned into a scowl at the thought of the lavender-eyed Seer, their kismessisitude had been a surprise certainly but they way Rose kept  _pushing her buttons_ , Vriska audibly let out a growl of annoyance as she continued to think about their pitch relationship, Rose had the upper-hand last time around, japing her and tricking her just a week ago and Vriska had yet to get her revenge. 

Her revenge would be sweet, she promised that. 

She smirked to herself as she took a random turn and went into the forest, looking for a comfortable place to plot, nap or fiddle with her powers. 

Unknown to her, another Serket teen paused from their walk slash rant and looked around, a strange look on her face as she felt something tug at her chest as Vriska settled on a random spot underneath a tree and held her palm out and concentrated, a small orb of light sparking at her fingertips. 

* * *

TT: At any rate, our piece is almost done. I just need to wait for Horuss to finish with the chassis and tweak our motherboard a bit before we can really be done.

GT: That sounded very interesting, good luck dirk! I'm sure that you and horuss will do absolutely smashing in the contest, you both are very talented in machinery i'm a little bit jealous myself.

TT: Thanks Jake.

gutsyGumshoe [GG]  joined Chat Memo [OMG CONGRATS DIRKJAKE]

TT: Hey Jane

GT: Good afternoon jane  
GT: How goes the baking for the school's bake sale?

GG: Hello Jake, Dirk   
GG: The baking is doing fine but um  
GG: I am a bit worried for my Dad :/

TT: What's wrong with DadCrocker?

GT: Oh my, is he alright?

GG: He insists that he's fine but I know he's not, he's been in a daze ever since we left the store from shopping this morning. It pertains Poppop, but at the same time someone else I guess.  
GG: I asked him what happened and he told me he bumped into a young lad who looked _just_ like Poppop when he was young!

Woah

TT: Huh, what were the odds he'd meet a young doppelganger of his own dad?  
TT: I'm going to guess that meeting with the guy triggered your dad to think of his own dad who's missing along with all our other relatives?

GG: Yes I believe so :(

TT: I thought so

GT: :[  
GT: I'm still hoping that they turn up and are alright, a bit optimistic i know but, i just miss them so much. Especially grandma

TT: I know the feeling, I got this bizarre hope that they'll turn up or whatever but it's been an entire year since they disappeared

GG: Indeed... :(

tipsyGnostalgic [TG] joined Chat Memo [OMG CONGRATS DIRKJAKE]

TG: GUYS GUYS U WONT BELIEVE WHAT DAD N I SAW or i guess who rly but anyway  
TG: hol up, is the memo name still congratutating the officil sail of the reel canon ship dirkjake???  
TG: did no 1 rly change the name after lik 2 weeks or whatevs?

GT: Um, i guess so?

TT: That aside, what did you and your dad see

TG: wut  
TG: oH WAIT YEAH!!! u guys wont believe this but dad n i saw _a girl who looks like mom!!! LIKE EXACTLY LIKE HER!!!_

GG: Pardon? 

TT: What

GT: Good heavens :o

TG: like _omg_ she looked just like mom when she was a kid!!!!1!!  
TG: and dad says that she sounds xcatly like mom 2 :OO

TT: That is so weird, first Jane's Dad sees the teenage doppelganger of _his_ Dad and now you and your dad sees a doppelganger or your Mom as a teenager?

TG: wait wut

GT: It's true! Dad has informed me that he's seen a young lad around our age that looked _exactly_ like Poppop when _he_ was a young lad.

TG: r u _serious_

GT: She is completely serious roxy

GG: What an odd coincidence for the both of us :0

TG: mm..... do u rly think is a coincidenc 

TT: What are you implying.

TG: what im implyin is thst maybe, _maybe_ that it isnt a coinxidence  
TG: *coincidence

GT: Umm?

TG: this chick looked _scarily_ like mom _and_ she sounded like her accourding 2 dad. she was buyin the latest CotL book n her _smile_  
TG: ..  
TG: u guyz werent there 2 see it but hopy shit u guys she just, _she looks so much like mom and her name was ROSE_  
TG: we heard it from anoter chick that came by, she seemed a bit familiar 2 but she called her _rose_. ROSE  
TG: n now janeys dad sees a guy that looks lek old man crockpop???? that _cannot_ be just concidence

GG: Did you say her name was _Rose_???

TG: um yee?

GG: When Dad told me he saw the Poppop look-alike in the store, he heard someone call out to him. Another male voice, he called him _John_.

GT: Uh

TG: :0000

GG: There's more, and um, Dirk

TT: What? What is it?

GG: Before 'John' left he responded, he called the voice... 'Dave'

TG: _:OOOO_

TT: _What_

GT: Oh my...

TT: Are you _completely_ sure about this Crocker.

GG: Yes! Dad is completely sure on what he heard and I trust him!

GT: Dirk are you quite alright? :(

TG: wtf is going on here

TT: I'm fine Jake  
TT: And don't ask us, we have as much as an idea about what this means as you have. Which is nothing.

TG: ik that but do you think... that its connected 2 the disapperences of our families

GG: ...

GT: ...

TT: ... I don't know but it is, I'd like to find out.

* * *

Aranea huffed, taking a break from her rant as she and Meenah walked through the park, entering the forest for more privacy. "I just,  _why_... Why did she leave." Aranea whispered, stopping as she wrapped her arms around herself, "I keep wondering if it was my fault she disappeared, why she left, for what happened. I know it's probably not but,  _I miss her_."   


Meenah gave her a sympathetic look, offering a comforting hand on her shoulder, "I don't know, you and your mom were always kind of rocky but she and you cared for each other." She told her, "Remember the time she socked that woman's face when she tried insultin' the both of you?" she asked, snickering. 

The cerulean eyed teen chuckled quietly, "Well, she  _did_ deserve that for calling Mom a hussy." She responded with a small smile, wiping away the small tears that appeared in her eyes. "And that time when she and Aunt Feferi went after the guy that tried to hit on you that one time, that was amusing." 

Meenah laughed, "Fuck yeah! The guy was pretty much fish food by the end Mom got to him, serves the bastard right for thinking he could actually deal with a Peixes with  _that_ attitude." 

Both teens shared a laugh as they continued on with the walk, sharing old stories and effectively making Aranea feel better than she had been an hour or so ago. 

Suddenly though, Aranea felt something pang in her chest leading her to stop with wide surprised eyes. "Aranea?"

She looked around with confused eyes as she could  _feel_ something call her, tugging at her chest. 

"Yo Serket, you alright there?" Meenah asked with a frown, a glint of worry in her fuchsia eyes only to shut up when she received a sharp "Shh!" from the blonde-haired teen, looking around. 

She stopped as she faced a certain direction, "This way." She declared, taking Meenah's hand and surprising the Peixes as she began to tug the other with her through the trees. 

"Wha- _Aranea what the shell?_ " She yelped as she quickly adapted and kept up with the book-loving spider-appreciating girl. 

Aranea looked back to her, "Just, trust me." Was all she said as they navigated through the trees only to stop running and walk quietly forward, hiding behind a tree, when Meenah tried to say something she was once again 'shushed' by Aranea, she would have been more irritated if it weren't for the moment the both of them looked from their hiding place and froze at what they saw. 

There, at the base of a tree, was a familiar face, seemingly napping against the trunk of the tree. 

She had long blonde hair, blue-painted lips and wore the very same glasses Aranea knew  _very well_. She wore a cerulean jacket, blue jeans, black undershirt and a pair of red sneakers. 

"Okay, stop with the hiding and come out will you? It's only polite." Aranea stifled a gasp at the familiar if a bit younger voice of the other teen, "Seriously, just get out here. I don't have all day you know." The other deadpanned, opening  _cerulean eyes._

" _What the fuck._ " Whispered her best friend as she stared at the other as well. 

Aranea bit her lip but stood, prompting Meenah to stand as well, leaving their hiding spot and coming out into the open. 

Vriska's eyes widened as she sees the human versions of Aranea and Meenah, blurting out, " __ _What the hell._ " As she stood up, noticing with slight distaste at the fact she was a few inches shorter than the human Aranea. ' _Crap_ ' thought the disguised troll as the two human girls stared at her with wide eyes. 

"...  _Mom?_ " Aranea whispered underneath her breath as the blonde looked at her with wide eyes, taking a step forward only to stop as the other took a step back much to her confusion. 

' _Crap, crap, craaaaaaaap. What do I do????????_ ' Vriska thought, hearing Aranea's whisper and knowing full well on how much she looked like her human-self via Jade looking them up in the internet and hacking a bit to a few private files; her human counterpart was  _soooooooo_ awesome as a retired marine. She, Terezi and surprisingly enough  _Tavros_ were part of the military in this universe, which was very cool. 

Before any of them could act, a small ringing broke the silence, Vriska jolted as she realized it was her phone, the human one that she alchemized off of Dave and John, and instantly took it out as she recognized the specific ringing as a certain someone's tune. 

"Hello?" She said to the phone, internally cursing herself for answering  _right there_ in front of both Aranea and Meenah. 

" _WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!_ " 

Vriska quickly took the phone away from her ear at the shout before bringing back, "Jeeeeeeeez Karkat, mind the volume would ya?"

'Karkat'? Both Meenah and Aranea shared a look. 

" _No time, John just came back with Dave and something happened, we need you to come back dammit!_ "

Vriska instantly forgot Aranea and Meenah, focusing on the state of her moirail, "What?! What happened, is he alright?!" 

" _He's fine but there might be trouble, just come back so we can discuss about it!!_ " 

"Ugh, right, whatever you say oh glorious leader."

" _Shut up and come home._ "

Vriska quickly pocketed her phone with a scowl. "Dammit." She swore before blinking and groaning as she  _remembered who was there._ ' _Great, I'm going to hear it now when I get back._ ' 

She looked at them and gave an awkward look before morphing it to a casual smile, "Well, this has been... interesting to say the least, nice meeting you both but unfortunately I have to go. Bye~" She practically sang before sprinting it out of there. 

Aranea jolted as Vriska bolted, "No, wait!" She called out but was too late, the teen was gone and left both her and Meenah alone and frozen within the forest.

It took a minute for both Meenah and Aranea to process what just happened, but soon both were heading back quickly, exchanging troubled and confused looks for what happened. Meanwhile, Vriska was sprinting it home, cussing heavily .

Elsewhere, a blonde woman watched with wide eyes as a creature with her name sauntered into the room, grinning with sharp teeth and wide cerulean pupils on yellow sclera. 

' _What the fuck._ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THATS A WRAP!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, it was a bit of a pain to think for this chapter being honest, there were some points that I had a bit of a hard time thinking of so this was the best end results I could come up with.
> 
> At any rate, let the chaos commence! In the next chapter that is :]


	3. Incipispheral Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened? 
> 
> The main question for this chapter asked by various characters, but the ones that want to know the most are the concerned adult custodians trapped in another dimension.
> 
> _Especially_ as two familiar boys seem to be dying right before them with three familiar girls, one apparently an alien but _very_ familiar, and two others with one unconscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was late and being honest I had a bit of a hard time thinking of the chapter but I managed! 
> 
> Hope you enjoy, things were certainly interesting and going to be certainly interesting for those involved.

* * *

Vriska stepped back as she watched a familiar... creature, saunter her way in the video feed. Approaching the sitting figures of the younger figures of Lalonde and Strider. 

" _Oh hey Vriska, what's up?_ " Younger Strider asked casually, Vriska narrowed her eyes in confusion and surprise as the creature with familiar features speaks,  _with her voice_. 

" _Oh nothing, I'm just wondering if you chumps have seen Terezi lately. She and I have a thing to do._ " 'Vriska' responded with expectant crossed arms. 

Younger Lalonde rose a brow, " _A 'thing' you say? How eloquently said Serket._ " She mused with a lofty smirk, painting the other's face with irritation. Kid Strider seemed to sigh as both of them began to snark at each other, muttering loudly.

" _Get a room you two, seriously, would like this place pitch flirt free._ " 

"Pitch flirt?" Rosaline inquired lowly as she watched her supposedly younger self rolled her eyes while the younger, alien? Vriska snided at him but shared a... complicated look with... She will now dub the younger as Rose, and the other as Dave to make it easier for herself, however she didn't know how to dub the other strange and alien Vriska. 

David shrugged at her as he watched Vriska stalk out of the feed. 

Tavros frowned before typing away at the feed, trying to get another monitor up and show another video feed from another location. 

* * *

"I would appreciate knowing where everyone is TZ, especially Vriska if she can really wake Janey up sooner."

"Don't rush me! Everyone's scent is, scattered, in pieces, faint. As much as my refined sense of smell is better than any other troll, I am not a blood barkbeast-- And complaining is not helping!" 

"Sorry, it's just, I'm lowkey trying to keep calm and both of my boys here upright, and you know, keep them from _dying_. They aren't exactly light as a feather Terezi and I'm pretty sure they're both heroic idiots." 

"I know, I know, just. Hold on." 

_Sniff, sniff, sniiifffff_. 

"I got them! Well, I got John, I think. His windy powers are actually helping in this situation, come on." 

"Finally!"

" _...Ro...x..._ "

"Hold on Jake, Dirk. Everything's going to be okay, we're gonna get Janey awake and figure what the fuck is going on. I swear." 

" _..mm..._ " 

"We gotta hurry, I think Jake's losing consciousness and Dirk's breathing is slowing even more now!"

"Come on, follow me, they're at-- _oh what the fuck are they doing back there?_ And, why do they smell so weird?" 

* * *

"This, this doesn't make any sense.  _Just what the fuck._ " Karkat demanded as Tavros was slowly one by one accessing one monitor to another that showed different feeds at different times. Each showing a different moments that were recorded, they continued to see familiar young aliens that looked, acted, and spoke exactly like them with the exception of Jaiden, Johnathan, Rosaline and David. 

Nepeta shook her head, "I don't know Karkat." 

Before anyone could say anything else, a voice called out, a familiar one that seemed a little different as it echoed from somewhere outside the room and not from the monitors, Tavros quickly muted and paused the videos on the monitors as the voice grew louder.  

" _Hello?! Are you guys here?!_ " " _Vriska! I know you and the others are here, get your asses here right now! We need some help here, we need to get Crocker up and awake._ "

"Roxy?" Rosaline mumured with narrowed eyes at the familiar voice that came before the one that was apparently familiar Serket and the others, she shared looks with her brother and friends as the other adults perked. 

Vriska turned to the door, "Terezi?" She called out hesitantly as Tavros slowly stood up and away from the terminal and monitors.  

Johnathan blinked in confusion, "Wait, did she say Crocker." He quietly asked but stayed silent as Tavros shushed him, everyone's eyes turning to look towards the direction where the voices were coming from. It was at the other doorway of the big room they were in, the opposite side of where they had came from.

There was a sound of footsteps coming quickly, the adults instinctively tensed before letting out sounds of shock as two figures were suddenly at the doorway and quickly entering the room. One that was seemingly bleeding  _teal_ and the other unconscious in the other's grip, forehead bruised and bleeding slightly. 

"Vriska, I need you to wake Jane up s-- wait, why do you smell like lemons? And-- _different_?"  _Terezi_ blurted out in confusion, younger, grey skinned, black haired and candy-corn horned. She wore a teal stained black shirt with the teal-colored Libra sign barely visible from the teal stain, she wore the very same red-shades that the Terezi they knew usually wore. Teal was dripping from her thin black lips and the visible wounds that were seen on her as she stood up, trying to keep one unconscious Jane Crocker in her grip.

Jaiden gasped as Johnathan exclaimed in concern and worry, "Jane!" He rushed to her side, Jaiden, Rosaline and David at his heels as he headed straight to them.

The unconscious Jane was hurt with a bruised and cut forehead, she was wearing a strange set of disheveled beige clothing with a strange light green symbol on her chest. She had her arm around Terezi's neck as the strange younger alien version of Terezi was clutching on to her and trying to keep her upright. Johnathan as quick to grab her, gently taking her as Terezi let him but stepped back in shock.

'Terezi' snapped her gaze towards Johnathan, " _John?_ " She asked incredulously, "You smell, older and different. You all do, what the fuck happened?!" She demanded as her 'gaze' swept towards the entire room.  

Jaiden narrowed her eyes as she glanced at Jane, "That's what we want to ask, what happened to Jane?" She asked as she went down with Johnathan who gently cradled his precious granddaughter. 

"And what the fuck are you in the matter?!" Karkat angrily asked, gaining the teen alien's attention who frowned, loudly sniffing.

Terezi opened her mouth, but snapped it shut as a certain teen girl stumbled into the room, holding on to two heavily bleeding teen boys. 

Roxy panted, looking up, asking, "Terezi baby, are they in... here..." She trailed off as her eyes widened at the sight before her and in turn, everyone's eyes with the exception of Terezi's widened at the sight of  _her_. 

David and Jaiden stood up as their hearts pounded painfully. " _Dirk_!" " _Jake_!" 

Roxy stood frozen in front of them, dressed in some strange dark blue clothing, strong arms clutching at the bleeding forms of Jake and Dirk that hung from her grip, barely standing and clothed just as strangely as both Roxy and Jane were with Jake dressed in bright yellow and Dirk in dark maroon. "Wha--  _shit Dirky!_ " She cried out as Dirk slipped from her hold, falling to the floor with a sickening thud, pointed glasses falling from his face and clattering on the ground. 

David was by his side in a heartbeat just as Jaiden was beside Roxy and Jake as she knelt to gently set the weakly panting English on the floor to fret over Dirk. She seemed to look at David with wide eyes before shaking her head and determinedly focusing on Dirk. 

"Dirk? Dirky, come on stay with us, just a little longer come on." She pleaded, before turning to Terezi, "Terezi  _do_ something!" 

David could feel his heart roaring in his ears as he clutched at his bleeding and  _terrifyingly still_ brother, he was barely breathing, chest almost still. "Shit,  _shit shit shit_ , Dirk, come on lil' man." He said, trying to stem the bleeding and half-way there to full on panicking. Frantically he looked at the wounds his brother had, there were various cuts and bruises running along the visible skin of his brother, there were also bright and dark red stains that came underneath the maroon clothes, and-where those white stockings along with poofy asshole pants?  _Never mind that focus on the fact your brother is, is. ~~Dying.~~_

Terezi whirled to where Johnathan was, he had came closer, still clutching at his granddaughter while looking at both his sister and friend as they gripped their beloved grandson and brother like a life-line with a wide shocked and horror filled look. 

"Wake her up." 

Old blue eyes snapped to look at her, "Pardon?" He blurted out confusedly.

Terezi stomped towards him, "Wake Jane up, she can help but she needs to wake up now or soon or else we'll lose both of them." she commanded, face uncomfortably close to the old man's.

"I-I don't see how--" 

"Wake her up!" Roxy yelled loudly, facade of somewhat calm she had earlier in the wake of carrying both of her injured best male friends, terror and slight desperation in her eyes and tears starting to form as she clutched both Jake and Dirk's unmoving hands in hers. "Wake Janey up, she needs to wake up before it's too late." 

Rosaline stepped closer, worry heavy in her as she looked at her daughter, "Roxy..." Concern filling her more when the blonde-haired teen didn't glance at her but focused solely on the youngest Crocker in the arms of the eldest. 

Meanwhile the other adults were trying their best in finding anything that can help, Vriska near Jaiden and looking over the two with Tavros hovering near David. 

"They've lost too much blood, and I think they both have concussions and if they have internal damage..." She murmured to herself, stopping when the old woman glared at her with burning green eyes. 

Dirk coughed weakly, not even groaning or stirring as David took gentle hold of his face, "Dirk? Dirk, look at me. You're gonna be okay, ya hear me little dude? You'll be fine and strong as a horse in no time, come on, stay with me bro." He didn't even care if there was a note of desperation in his voice. Dirk didn't seem to hear anything, dazed eyes fluttering, "No, no no no _no_. Dirk, come on, stay awake." 

Roxy stood up, storming to Johnathan and taking firm hold of Jane's shoulders, "Janey wake up!" She shouted, much to the protest of Johnathan, Rosaline and the other adults. Kanaya trying to get her to stop but was strongly pushed away from Roxy, nearly falling but was thankfully caught by Gamzee. "Jane wake up please!" 

"Roxy- _Roxy Lalonde stop._ " Rosaline tried, only to stop as Roxy winced away from her, eyes wide with conflicted emotion before focusing back on trying to wake the unconscious Jane. Shaking even harder. 

"Bro?  _Dirk? Dirk no, no, don't come on little brother wake up._ " David started to shake Dirk, breath hitching as the younger Strider didn't react, " _Dirk!_ " 

Nepeta covered her mouth in horror as the usually composed director was shaking, she went towards Kanaya who held unto her in comfort, crying out, Gamzee and Karkat looked away, Vriska stayed silent while Tavros sighed somberly. Rosaline knelt beside David, a hand on his shoulder, Jaiden looked heartbroken and scared as she held unto Jake. Roxy froze, looking back before looking back to Jane. " _Jane_ ," ignoring Johnathan as she and David chorused.

" _Wake up!_ " 

* * *

Dirk jolted up, alarm blaring beside him, he blinked blearily before slumping back on the bed as his alarm screamed from his bedside dresser. 

He groaned as he tiredly, rubbing a palm over his tired face before sighing. He sat up properly and kicked away the blanket, punching the button on his alarm to stop it from continuing its wakening wail. 

He must have been still half-asleep as he winced, barely remembering... nothing, Dirk sniffed and shook his head. He jumped as his bedroom door sounds, three firm knocks. 

" _Dirk?_ " 

"Yeah?" He called out, standing up, groaning softly as he began to stretch. It was Kevin, or Squarewave as he usually went by when he and Damien, aka Sawtooth, went out for gigs. They were famous DJs, both of them had their own individual gigs but when they both shared a gig you were sure the club was more than packed. 

" _You waking up there buddy? I'm getting breakfast ready, 15 minutes._ " Kevin said through the door. 

Dirk hummed, "Alright! I got it, thanks." He hears Kevin walk away, probably back to the kitchen to continue cooking. 

Yesterday had... he didn't exactly know how to describe yesterday, he contemplated in bringing up to both of his custodians later before shaking his head and resolving himself, it was nothing, probably, nothing to get so worked up about.

He huffed before walking to the curtains and opening them, temporarily blinded for a moment before sighed in content as the morning light invaded his room. He yawned before starting his daily morning routine.

* * *

Kevin smiled, knowing Dirk was already dragging himself to his bathroom. 

"Morning Vin." Kevin beamed as Damien walked into the kitchen, laughing lightly as he sees him dressed in black sweatpants and a grey wife beater, "What's for breakfast." Kevin laughed a bit more as the taller male slouched slightly to wrap his strong arms around the smaller and more petite-ish male. 

Damien was a tall man, 6'5 actually, olive skin and firm muscles, he had black hair and a chin strip beard and side burns, though since it was the morning he had a small stubble forming on his face and a smoldering, usually cold blue eyes. On his shoulder was a tattoo of a giant grey gear with red and blue wires and circuitry that ran until his elbow.  

Damien smirked as he kissed Kevin's cheek, earning a soft shove from the other. 

Kevin was a shorter male with blonde hair, soft brown eyes that were usually behind bulk round shades, he was a Caucasian with a height of 5'6, relatively shorter than his lover but he didn't mind usually. Currently he was dressed in grey jeans, a light blue shirt and a frilly but red apron as he cooked, a gift from Dirk last Christmas. 

"Blueberry pancakes mostly, coffee's done." He motioned towards the finished pot at the end of the counter as he escaped from the other's hold, intending to finish cooking before Dirk came out to eat. 

The taller male made an appreciative noise before grabbing a mug and heading towards the pot of hot liquid, groaning after pouring himself a nice good cup of coffee and tasting the warm ambrosia. 

"Gross, you guys better not be doing it in the kitchen again." Was what both heard not a moment later as Dirk went into the kitchen, causing Kevin to sputter and flush while Damien wasn't visibly affected. "That moment scarred me forever, good bye innocence." Dirk drawled as he opened the fridge, opening a fresh carton of orange juice and fetching a glass. 

"Dirk!" 

Damien smirked at Kevin's scandalized and embarrassed voice, "Nice joke kid, you? Innocent?" He sipped his coffee, exaggerating another groan much to Dirk's visible disgust.

"Fuck off."

Kevin just sighed in exasperation, shaking his head before just serving breakfast to them, a good amount of fluffy pancakes for each of them. 

A normal day in the Strider residence. 

* * *

AG: Meenah I thought you said Kankri would be on soon.

CC: hes gonna, i baited him and he betta damn well get hooked here 

carcinoGrievances has joined Chat Memo [R4DDUD3S P4RTY R1D3] 

CG: I'm here.  
CG:Why in the world was Meenah, of all people, hounding me to get on here. 

CC: finally jesus vantas what took ya so long 

GA: Hello Kanny 

CG: Please don't call me that Porrim, anyway again I ask.  
CG: What was so important to interrupt my study session and drag me into whatever nonsense this might be 

GC: idk man i just got here b4 u 

TA: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah fishbitch wtf r we doin here 

CC: stfu tuna boy, the others aint here yet and trust us 

AG: You'll all want to hear this... 

AA: really now 

AT: horuss is coming on now, he's bringing meulin 

CC: boat time jfc 

amazedCalico [AC] has joined Chat Memo [R4DDUD3S P4RTY R1D3] 

caballusTech [CT] has joined Chat Memo [R4DDUD3S P4RTY R1D3] 

AC: we're here :333 

CT: What is going on? 

AC: oh yeah kurloz is here too! 

tyrannicalClownhorn [TC] has joined Chat Memo [R4DDUD3S P4RTY R1D3] 

TC: :o? 

CC: still usin the clown nose i see 

TC: >:oP 

CG: Excuse me but what is going on? I have other things to focus on besides whatever this is. 

CA: doin what chief, ya havent left yer room all day 

CG: I did leave the room today, you just weren't there to see it. Eridan saw me if you want proof. 

AA: okay, everyone here  
AA: now what 

AG: Alright then. 

CC: yall arent gonna believe what me n aranea saw today 

CG: Don't tell me you just dragged me in here for gossip 

TC: :o/// 

AT: uuh. if this is about gossip then im out 

GA: Gossip you say? 

AG: It's not gossip!!!!!!!! I swear it's not.  

CC: its got to do w karkat 

TC: :o0!!! 

CG: ... 

AC: um 

AG: It's not just him, I think... we're on to something about our missing custodians. 

CC: shes kinda jumpin the boat, idfk yet but it was fuckin crazy 

AG: I mean, she looked just like her. And she said, "Karkat", there *has* to be something there. I don't think that's a coincidence.  
AG: How many males out there are called 'Karkat'? And might I remind you she looked *exactly* like my mother when she was young. Down to the look of her eye. 

TA: woah woah woah, wtf u guys talkin about 

GC: can some1 explain pls b4 kankri explodes 

CG: Explode? Probably, but I want to know what is exactly going on. 

AG: Right. 

* * *

" _What do you MEAN, Aranea and Meenah fucking saw you?!_ " 

Vriska winced, rubbing her ear, disguise gone as she stood in the room before them. "I  _mean_ what I said," She snapped back, scowling, "I don't know how they found me that deep in the forest but  _somehow_ ,  _somehow_ they managed to just,  _stumble_ to where I was." Crossing her arms, she stood defiantly as Karkat stood before her in anger. 

Though John and Dave had acted as a barrier and were facing their respective moirails, Dave was trying to calm Karkat down from his anger and panic while John just gave Vriska a reassuring smile. 

The blue-eyed Heir turned to Karkat, "Hey come on, she's not the only one who was spotted today. I got seen by uh, James Crocker." He said, smile slightly faltering at the name before strongly moving on. "Today was just, a bad day." 

Dave gave a comforting squeeze as his hand was on Karkat's shoulder, "Yeah come on Karkles, it's not the end of the world... Again, if we just, I don't know, keep our heads down and lay lower than before then maybe it'll be okay." Even though he had said it, there was a hint of doubt he couldn't really hide. 

Nepeta frowned from her place beside Jade's side, staying at the far end of the couch with Gamzee at the other side, Jade and Tavros between them as an extremely effective buffer and shield from each other before they would be in another one of their black spats that would be inevitable if the two of them were left alone for too long. 

"Well, what are we going to do?" She questioned loudly as Karkat calmed himself. 

Kanaya grimaced as she shifted beside Rose, "As much as Dave's suggestion seems... pleasant. It  _was_ inevitable that we would meet slash clash with one side or another. I am actually quite impressed we managed to evade them all from the knowledge of our existence for this long." She admitted, having most of them reluctantly agree. 

Rose nodded, "The best thing we can do really, is brace ourselves and try to maneuver through all of this while continuing our research." She told them seriously, "And no, I am not saying this because of my Sight. You all know that that ability went down the drain the moment we woke up, I still cannot See as well as I could before. It's still as blurry and unsure as ever." She sighed.

The Thief of Light scoffed, jeering, "Oh great! Helpful as ever Lalonde,  _whatever_ would we have done _without you_." She smirked at Rose's narrowed stare-formed glare. 

"Vriska," John began, giving her a firm look, "Not now, please." The cerulean troll huffed but backed down. 

Rose glanced at Nepeta who shook her head and sighed but stayed silent, though the two exchanged heated glances while Karkat groaned, going to sit on the couch's arm beside Gamzee. The purpleblood who had stayed silent with Tavros offered a comforting arm around his waist that made the mutant troll smile slightly.  

Jade hummed thoughtfully, "Well, whatever we do, I'm kind of with Rose here. We need to prepare ourselves and try to get through this whole situation. Though I'm also with Dave, I kind of don't want to confront the English family in this universe... But, what if we just... tell them something?" She questioned with doubt heavy in her voice, she winced as everyone glanced at her though smiled as Nepeta kissed her cheek for reassurance. 

"Tell them what exactly." Karkat deadpanned. 

"The truth? Not everything, but maybe  _something_ that could help both us and them? I don't know, I'm just as confused about everything as you all are." She made a small frustrated noise, one that was quickly silenced as Nepeta kissed her cheek again. 

John looked thoughtful and caught Karkat's gaze, he looked slightly considering and Karkat did  _not_. 

"No,  _oh no_ , that'd just fucking complicate things one  _fucking thousand times more_." Karkat growled, "Humans and beings like us,  _don't really mix_." 

Dave gave him a deadpanned look, "Karkles, we're human." 

"Motherfuckin'  _ecto-humans_ that are all up 'n god tiered Strid- _Harley_." Gamzee corrected, both to Dave and himself at the end, he had been sober since the meteor and without the sopor muddling with his mind he was sharper and more focused, at first it had been a bad thing since along with that fact came with the relentless voices of repressed highblooded urges that led to the murder and attempted-murder of his friends. "Ya'll are as motherfucking alien as us, bein' from another universe and that shit. These motherfuckers? They were all  _born_ here, made with... normal human dn'fuckin'a, not slime brother. As much as ya'll are, lookin' like the average human fuck, ya'll are still not as motherfucking normal as the 'normal humans' here."  

The four ecto-siblings made a face but conceded with the fact Gamzee  _was_ right, no matter what they thought about it. And thinking along those lines, they weren't even suppose to  _exist_ here. Not as they were, they were anomalies in a universe that didn't seem to involve the game whatsoever. They had done their research and it seemed that SBURB didn't exist, Jade even went as far as to look for her old island to look for the ruins but  _she didn't find them_. Her island still existed, only newly-discovered via the English family, her alternate self had discovered it shortly before she had disappeared and had been planning on using it for her company. 

The only reason why they hadn't gone to the island in question was the fact that her alternate self had set plans for the island and that it was under supervision from the English-owned version company of SkaiaNet. With one Jude English as the head of the company and the one who went forward and started the plan her alternate self had left before vanishing off the face of the earth. 

Which also brought forward a subject that Jade was awkward to think about, the new English family of this universe. In this universe  _she_ had a family, married a man who died later in life but left her two children, the eldest being one Jude English and the youngest one Joey English. Jake was her grandson, she was used to that but he was the son of Jude, who was supposed to be  _her_ son, her  _biological_ son. As in, biological and not  _ecto_ -biological, the biology she was most used to. 

It was weird just knowing that, not to mention the existence of Jude and Joey sparked a few curious thoughts in her mind. Did... Jude and Joey exist in  _her_ universe? And if they did... were  _they_ the offsprings of  _her_ grandpa?

The half-canine Witch of Space shook her head, she could think about that again at a later time. Right now she needed to focus on the problem at hand. 

Tavros finally spoke, only ask, "So uh... what do we do exactly?" He asked quietly, looking around with a concerned look on his face. 

John scratched his cheek, uncertain. "I don't um... I don't exactly know... I guess we just, see what happens and roll with it." He says flippantly but had a doubtful tone that everyone in the room could clearly hear. 

They could only hope that they could roll with it as smoothly as they could...

Looking back, they probably should have thought of something better. 

* * *

Johnathan and the adults could step back at the behest of three teens and only watch in awe, fear, worry, concern, confusion and  _more_ as one Jane Crocker stood before the  _dead_ teen boys, wreathed in _glowing **blue flames**_ as Terezi and Roxy stood to the side with them with big wide smiles as the teenage girl pointed a giant red trident-like weapon with a blue-orb at the end towards the general direction of the two  _very dead, nonmoving and not-breathing boys_. 

"Yes! Go Janey!" Roxy cheered in relief as the flames traveled Jane towards both Dirk and Jake, quickly engulfing the two and...  _healing them_?

The two rose into the air as the flames licked their bodies, bright blue flames entering and exiting quickly closing wounds. As fast as it started, the flames died down and both Dirk and Jake were laid back on the floor, unmarred and injury free. Their chests were moving steadily, a sure sign of their status of  _living_ , faces relaxed, asleep and unconscious as Jane stopped doing... whatever she was doing. 

Roxy laughed and cried in relief, quickly tackling the other into a hug, dragging them  _both_ into the air and  _staying there_. Flying in the middle of the room and floating as both girls laughed in apparent triumph, relief and joy. Terezi seemed content, crossing her gray arms as the two girls celebrated, forgetting about the group of thoroughly stunned adults that were in the same room as them. 

Karkat was the one who reminded them about their existence, "Excuse me...  _but what the **fuck**_?!" He shouted. 

Jane and Roxy exchanged looks as they dropped back to the ground, emotions passing their faces while Terezi sighed and walked towards them. 

The three girls turned to the group of adults, well, explaining things would be a hassle and confusion. 

Why don't we rewind time a bit...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand there we go. 
> 
> I decided not to use quirks for Kankri and the others since they _are_ normal teens, ones that don't have quirks and stuff but only type like the typical teenager or the typical person. What normal human uses something as a quirk?? 
> 
> At any rate, I hope you enjoyed!


	4. Dog Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woof.
> 
> Chapter 4 incoming :D
> 
> I have said it before and I'll probably say it a lot in the future but: Sorry for the late chapter! I really need to establish a proper schedule or something. And I also need to find a way to defeat my procrastination and Writer's block. Like seriously. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
> 
> 1/26/19: JESUS THIS TOOK AGES  
> I'm sorry D:

* * *

_Minutes Earlier_

" _Janey wake up!_ " Was what Jane Crocker awoke to, along with a strong and firm shake to her person. "R-Roxy..?" She mumbled as she came to, squinting through tired and wary eyes and feeling sore all over. She felt battered and felt like she had been in a blender set on puree, that aside she jolted when she heard her best friend's relieved sob and the distinct sound of crying. 

"R-Roxy?" She asked stronger as she pried her eyes open, the shaking stopped as Roxy let out a mumbled ' _Oh thank sweet jegus_ ' underneath her breath. "Roxy- what, what happened?" The Maid of Life asked as her vision cleared to see Roxy's relieved but somber face. 

" _Janey_!" Roxy started, hugging her tightly, "Jane- _Janey bring them back please_ , heal them!" She pleaded, tears being soaked into her godhood. Before Jane could ask who, her eyes strayed to Dirk and Jake and instantly she understood though she didn't seem to notice the elder Strider shaking Dirk, too focused on her dead friends, she bit back a gasp and swallowed, she stood with Roxy following her. 

When she managed to get on her feet, it was then she noticed the adults in the room. "I-I,  _what_?" She glanced between the adults quickly with a shocked, confused and disbelieved look, double-taking when she noticed Johnathan, "Poppop?" She questioned faintly. 

Before Johnathan could even say anything Roxy interrupted her, "Adults later Janey, please, before we're too late!" She reminded her with a hurried look. Jane looked back to Dirk and Jake and very much noticed the two teary adults weeping over both dead males and flinched before her expression settled into determination, she stepped away from Roxy and towards Dirk and Jake. 

"Jane?" The old Crocker called out to her, feeling confused and a little hurt when his granddaughter seemed to ignore him, "Jane, what are you doing?"

Jane gently nudged both Jaiden and David, "Please step back if you would, I can fix this." She told them with a gentle reassuring smile, at their faces she gently pushed them away, holding back winces at their devastated looks as she did so. "Don't worry, everything's going to be okay." She told them as she stepped back and took out her Red Skaian Battle-Fork, ignoring but slightly confused by the gasps she hears from the sidelines as she focused entirely on both of her best friends, dead on the floor. 

"Jane, h-how did you-- wait, what are you-?!" 

Johnathan and the adults could step back at the behest of three teens and only watch in awe, fear, worry, concern, confusion and  _more_  as one Jane Crocker stood before the  _dead_  teen boys, wreathed in _glowing **blue flames**_  as Terezi and Roxy stood to the side with them with big wide smiles as the teenage girl pointed a giant red trident-like weapon with a blue-orb at the end towards the general direction of the two  _very dead, nonmoving and not-breathing boys_. 

"Yes! Go Janey!" Roxy cheered in relief as the flames traveled Jane towards both Dirk and Jake, quickly engulfing the two and...  _healing them_?

The two rose into the air as the flames licked their bodies, bright blue flames entering and exiting quickly closing wounds. As fast as it started, the flames died down and both Dirk and Jake were laid back on the floor, unmarred and injury free. Their chests were moving steadily, a sure sign of their status of  _living_ , faces relaxed, asleep and unconscious as Jane stopped doing... whatever she was doing. 

Roxy laughed and cried in relief, quickly tackling the other into a hug, dragging them  _both_  into the air and  _staying there_. Flying in the middle of the room and floating as both girls laughed in apparent triumph, relief and joy. Terezi seemed content, crossing her gray arms as the two girls celebrated, forgetting about the group of thoroughly stunned adults that were in the same room as them. 

Karkat was the one who reminded them about their existence, "Excuse me...  _but what the **fuck**_?!" He shouted. 

Jane and Roxy exchanged looks as they dropped back to the ground, emotions passing their faces while Terezi sighed and walked towards them. 

The three girls turned to the group of adults, well, explaining things would be a hassle and confusion. 

Jaiden and David rushed to their boys, checking their pulses. Both adults let out relieved sobs, Jaiden more vocal than David as they clutched the unconscious pair of Dirk and Jake. 

Jaiden gently let go of Jake, laying him down and went up to Jane, taking her into her arms and crying. "Thank you, thank you thank you  _thank you_." She sniffed. Jane awkwardly returned the hug, patting her back comfortingly. 

"Um, you're welcome?" 

Vriska shared a look with Tavros and turned to the three girls, "Heartwarming as this is, I and the others would like to know what the fuck is exactly going on." She said bluntly. The other adults looked like they agreed at her, so confused at the moment, confused, wary and just over all wanting some answers to what was happening. 

Terezi sighed, "You think  _we_ know? I mean, we do know some of it but we don't know what's going on with  _you_ guys... You're not Vriska, not  _my_ Vriska anyway." She mumbled, swaying in place. "Fuck." 

Jane looked alarmed, "Terezi! You're still injured," She broke out of Jaiden's hug, going towards her, "Here, let me." She pointed her fork at her again. The flames came back, engulfing Terezi who only let out a sigh of relief. Her wounds healed and she felt immensely better than before. She still looked ruffled up, Terezi wiped the thin line of teal that they could only guess was somehow blood? 

"Thank you Jane." 

Jane gave her a smile, "No problem Terezi, it's the least I could do." 

Vriska cleared her throat, gaining their attention once more. "Answers? Please?" She added as she looked between the two of them. 

"Alright." 

Minutes later, they were all gathered in one of the more comfortable places. Dirk and Jake laid on the soft nest pile of pillows, blankets and other soft things. The adults watched, stunned as their clothes cleaned themselves with the exception of Terezi who briefly changed out of her bloody clothes. 

Roxy squirmed as she sat besides Jane and Terezi, sat right in the middle of the two of them. She was staring, she knew that, she was staring at Rosaline. The woman who was suppose to be her ancestor and mother figure. 

"Roxy, you've been gazing at me this entire time." Rosaline finally says, patient and curious, "What's wrong?" Roxy fidgets breaks her stare, looking down and gripped leggings. 

You know, you'd think in other situations Roxy would be thrilled at the chance of meeting her mother figure, the one woman she worshiped and looked up to as she grew up alone even though she was surrounded by chess people but they weren't humans. But at the moment, all Roxy could feel was nervousness and some dread, she had expected Rose, her sister-mother, the Seer of Light who was her age, who also lost her mom, the other Lalonde girl she had bonded with ever so briefly before everything went to shit. 

She had felt,  _comfortable_ , with a girl her age, having no real adult in her life aside from the Dersites and the Prospitians that she grew up with but they probably didn't really count. The first thought of having a mom was,  _amazing_ , invigorating, she wouldn't be alone anymore and she had someone to look up to personally who was right there in front of her, but giving it more thought? It was... complicated. She grew up hearing and learning about someone who had  _died years ago_ , 

The very same someone who had been a heroine, a tragic one but a heroine nonetheless. Someone she wanted to simultaneously impress and hide from, because for all the things world she was only _Roxy Lalonde_ : a recovering alcoholic  _16_ year old girl who only became a hero of Void just earlier that day, she had _died_ , then she was alive again and she nearly died again, met Rose and the others, battle through enemies and planning to win the most complicated and important game of her life. Her friends  _died_ , Rose and the others were  _gone_ and now the mother of her dreams was right before her.

Quite frankly, things were just going so fast for her and sure she had adapted with the fact the mother she imagined ended up being a mother-daughter-sister clone from alternate dimensional session, but right now? With the actual woman before her... She felt overwhelmed. 

She could only pretend she was comfortable and adaptable to everything for so long. 

Rosaline stood in alarm as suddenly her daughter was fading from sight, eyes wide and shaking, "Roxy!" She called out, Roxy was gone from her spot on the couch. 

Jane watched her fade with a worried look, she couldn't really blame her. As strong as Roxy liked to portray herself as, as flexible and carefree she could be, everyone had their limits, even her.  _Especially_ her. Roxy would appear again when she wanted to, all Jane could do is hope that she would stay away from any soporific substances, not that she didn't trust Roxy to get drunk again, she was just worried.

"Where did she go? Where's Roxy?" Rosaline practically demanded, for once in a long time, she was flustered and was far from her calm and collected composure. She had seen Dirk and Jake's  _death_ and _resurrection_ , and then out of nowhere her own  _daughter_ -who had been acting quite strange and perturbed- started to  _fade away into nothingness_.

Terezi sniffed the air before shaking her head, "Sorry, I can't smell her. I have no idea where she went, she's a Void player, she'll only be found if she  _wants_ to be found." The tealblood told her bluntly with a frown. "You'll have to wait for her to show herself." 

Rosaline looked confused, conflicted but reluctantly sat down. David gave her a comforting hand on her shoulder as she clutched at her skirt. The other adults looked at her in concern but she resolutely looked at the two remaining teen girls before her, "What's a 'Void Player' and what is happening?" She asks after a moment. 

From behind the pile that cradled Dirk and Jake, Roxy curled up and cried, silently berating herself. She stayed invisible though. 

_She was such a coward._

* * *

_He was such a coward._

This was Tavros' minor thought as he jogged that morning. Human disguise up and enjoying the cold breeze of the morning. It was a habit he took to do after they ended up in this universe. Or well, even before that, he used to take jogs around the meteor whenever he had nothing to do. 

Why was Tavros thinking so lowly about himself around, oh about 5 in the morning? 

Well, he rarely went outside the house or go into public like the others. He preferred his solitude within his room or the comfort of nature and animals as well as the comfort of the others, especially his moirail Gamzee, of course with the exception of Vriska who he frequently avoided and ignored to the best of his abilities. 

The Taurus was glad that the Scorpio troll was no longer after him in  _any_ quadrant, he never really felt that much for the ceruleanblood anyway, so when news hit that she had become Rose's kismesis, Terezi's matesprit and John's moirail? He was happy. Meanwhile, he was content with his role with being Gamzee's pale and ashenmate. Mediating between he and Nepeta when things got too rough for everyone's liking. 

He found that the thought of going red or black for someone was... uncomfortable and he didn't really experience anything like that aside from his pale feelings for Gamzee and the ashen mediating for him and Nepeta. Something that was unheard of for trolls but apparently for humans, they called it 'aromantic' and 'asexual'? That was nice. For a race that didn't have the complexity of troll quadrants there were a startlingly huge variety for their, uh, 'romances' and 'sexualities'. 

When Gamzee confessed red, Tavros felt a bit bad turning him down but after that it seemed that things flipped and suddenly Gamzee had a startling realization that he was in fact  _not red_ for Tavros and was instead  _pale_ , and was actually red for  _Karkat_. Who in turn thought was pale for Gamzee and was red for Dave but it was actually flipped as well and he was pale for Dave, red for Gamzee...

It had been a long meteor trip as feelings, relationships and more went abound and bounced off the walls of the meteor like a fucking rubber ball.

Anyway, that aside, back to thinking why he was a coward. 

He wanted to avoid everything human aside from the humans he already knew quite well, he didn't like going out into public and the thought of human Rufioh, his  _dancestor_ who already had trouble approaching in the dream bubbles, was his, what was the human relationship? Son? Brother? He always kind of got those confused, even when Rose, Dave, John and Jade made it clear they were siblings. 

When Vriska and John came back with their tales of confrontations, Tavros wanted to suggest running for the hills or just getting the hell out of dodge. But he kept silent, either out of guilt or fear, he doesn't know. Maybe it was because of Vriska being there and he didn't want to get mocked for his cowardice and running ability again by the cerulean who now platonically hated him, which was... good he guessed since she was no longer seeking a kismessisitude from him, fully satisfied and faithful to the spade she shared with Rose who felt just the same. 

Honestly it somewhat surprised him but at the same time didn't at how the two Light players felt for each other. At any rate though, he didn't want to risk staying and getting caught, he liked their peaceful life away from the game, from the others and more.

As much as he would hate to admit and would never willingly say out loud, Vriska was right. He was a coward. 

Tavros sighed, stopping his jog to sit down at a nearby bench, panting lightly as he took a break from his jogging. The brownblood in disguise leaned against the bench's back, 

"Hah..." He took in a deep breath and let it out as he relaxed. "I wonder if... things will ever be peaceful again..." He said aloud as he looked up towards the sky. 

Because no doubt with this whole thing, it was all going to go to shit. Looking at all their pasts, there was no shadow of a doubt that shit was going to hit the fan. And it was going to hit  _hard_. 

Tavros smiled slightly as he continued to look at the sky, oh how he wanted to fly, there wasn't anyone around so maybe- no, he wasn't going to risk it. He was still in the park and even though it was really early in the morning, he didn't want to risk some early-rising human to see him flying, much less see him flying in his godhood.  

He stood up after a few minutes, yawning a bit as he stretched for a little while. Well, time to continue jogging and then go back to the house before his disguise's time runs out. 

Craning his neck, he ceased stretching and continued his jogging pathway. 

At any rate, as long as they were together, Tavros was sure that they'd make it. 

He took in a deep breath of fresh air. 

_It was going to be a long day._

* * *

_It was going to be a great day!_

This was Jade's main thought as she and her girlfriend, or as Nepeta would mostly refer them- her 'matesprit', went out for a nice relaxing date out in the park. 

Though, they weren't the only ones within the park. Dave, Karkat and Gamzee were with them, the others were staying back at the house. 

It was polyamorous-like-ish date, with Nepeta as Jade's matesprit but was also Gamzee's kismesis, and Gamzee was Karkat's matesprit who was moirail's with Dave who was also her best friend and practically her adopted brother from how Dave had her name now- Dave Harley! 

Their social circle was very complicated, but fun! 

"Gamzee, Nepeta, behave!" Jade scolded but couldn't help but giggle at how Gamzee and Nepeta aimed a few hisses before trying to ignore each other while hugging their respective matesprits. With Tavros back at home, it was up to the rest of them to temporarily auspistize between them. 

Karkat snorted, affectionately papping Gamzee's face and kissing his cheek. "Play nice you idiot." He told him sternly. Gamzee huffed but reluctantly nodded, smiling at the kiss he had in reward. 

Dave mimed gagging from behind them making Jade and Nepeta giggle. He wished John was there with them but he was spending some 'pale time' with Vriska being her moirail and all. 

Jade turned to Nepeta, "You too Nep." The cat-loving troll sighed but nodded. 

"Alright, just for mew Jade." She said before literally pouncing on her with a giggle, peppering her with adorable little kisses, this time Dave mimed gagging to Karkat who rolled his eyes at his childish action. Jade laughed brightly, trying to stop Nepeta's attack of kisses. 

Had she had her tail exposed, Jade was really sure her tail would be wagging furiously. Her own dog ears were twitching underneath her hat. While she was okay with her tail temporarily disappearing with the help of her First Guardian powers, as well as Space aspect powers, but it felt weird without her ears. She only had them disappear in times of emergency. 

They would enjoy their day together in the park, staying at the more secluded parts of it just in case. 

Later on, Karkat, Gamzee and Nepeta went to a nearby ice cream cart to get something sweet, Karkat making sure that Gamzee and Nepeta wouldn't get caught up by their caliginous moments as Dave and Jade hung back.

Of course, all good things must come to an end... 

* * *

"Tesseract! Consarn' it, come back here!" Jake shouted after the big fluffy dog with a small huff, "Tesseraact!" From behind him, he heard his father giving an amused chuckle while his aunt laughed boisterously. 

Jude and Joey English were the best family Jake could ask for, his father was the proud successor to his grandmother, unfortunately. Not that his father was a bad successor, not at all! It's just, it had been abrupt. When his own mother was declared missing, possibly even dead but Jude dealt with it admirably. 

Joey hadn't really dealt with the disappearance well, though she coped and had the help of her dearest older brother along with her nephew so now she was smiling freely like she had used to before their mother disappeared. 

Jude was an astute tall 6'2 man in his mid early thirties with thin, square shaped glasses perched on his nose and tussled black hair. Jake got most of his looks from him. He wore a light green button up shirt and a pair of nice brown pants. He had light green eyes and a very sharp mind. Like almost the rest of his family, he had quite the aim and interest in guns, Joey was an exception since she was a dancer and preferred to fight in self-defense and even then, she preferred to fight with punches and kicks instead of weaponry but if she did, she was very handy with a baton. 

Speaking of her, Joey was a lovely 5'6 woman in her late twenties, she had not inherited the need to wear glasses almost all the time but she did need them occasionally. She had short black hair and dark green eyes. She wore a light dark green blouse and a nice black skirt. While the younger sibling, she tended to act as if  _she_ was the elder sibling out of the two, which was fine with Jude. 

"You know, for an old dog, he's quite lively." Kevin hummed to Jude, he and Kevin had come to meet up with the two and have their charges meet. Dirk himself was helping Jake in trying to stop and trap the white dog, laughing slightly when it didn't quite work and all it did was have Jake nearly crash into him. They laughed it off, well, Jake laughed it off while Dirk just let out an amused chuckle and smile since Striders apparently had to control their expressions.

The six of them were at the park, having a nice day together. Roxy and Jane would have joined them if they hadn't been so busy at the moment. It was unfortunate but they could join next time and bring their fathers with them. Though it seemed that both adults had kept the fact they had seen some familiar faces to themselves, unsure that they had really seen them, maybe it was just a very odd coincidence? 

Jude chuckled, "Yes, Tesseract may be old, but his spirit is still quite young." He replied, watching Dirk and Jake try and catch the big white dog who, despite his age and size, was quite swift and agile. "Look at him go." 

Damien snorted, nodding in agreement then looked over as Jake and Dirk once again ran after Tesseract. The adults smiled and followed after them, wanting to keep a close eye on the younger members of their family. 

They ended up chasing the dog all over the park, until...

"Tesseract! Tesseract no!" "BARK!" 

"Eep!" "Holy shit Jade!"

* * *

Jade had been minding her own business, chatting with Dave as they waited for Gamzee, Karkat and Nepeta to come back- hopefully unscathed, with their ice cream. 

That is, until a big white dog barreled into Jade while they were about to go check on the three trolls in disguise because they were taking a suspiciously long time. They both hoped that the three were alright, that Gamzee and Nepeta hadn't made a public scene of caliginous intentions- those two were seriously violently black for each other, yet somehow it wasn't unhealthy, yet. 

And just as they were about to walk towards where the three trolls went, out of nowhere, a giant fucking dog appeared out of nowhere and tackled Jade, causing her to yelp as the mysterious white dog- which reminded Jade dearly of Becquerel. "Eep!" Dave jolted from beside him, "Holy shit Jade!" He shouted in concern as his adopted sister was plowed into the ground with the canine animal. The dog wasn't hostile or violent however, he was actually quite affectionate and was currently slobbering all over Jade's face, furiously licking Jade with enthusiastic glee, his tail wagging so furiously Dave was almost sure that the dog would go lift off like Tails the Fox but only with one tail. Still, despite his apparent affection, he was still pinning Jade to the grass and was still attacking her with his licks. 

Dave knelt beside him, "Okay dog, please step the fuck off of her." He said, trying to push the dog off of Jade. 

Jade laughed, "I-I'm okay Dave! He's, oh wow you're heavy, he's adorable!" "BARK! BARK!"The Witch of Space giggled, gasping when the giant white dog got off of her only to tackle Dave down and lick  _his_ face. 

"Shit!" "Dave! Oh gosh!" 

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!! He's never done this, oh dear, this shouldn't have happened! I'm-I'm... sorry?" 

Jade blinked, her laughter stopping as two teens stopped in front of her and Dave... 

Shit. 

Jake English and Dirk Strider stared at her and Dave, a look of shock settling over their faces as they stared at her. "Um..." Jade said with a small awkward grin only to focus back on Dave who flailed underneath the white dog. 

"Dammit stop licking me!" Gone was the Strider facade, Dave just wanted the dogdamned dog off of him! 

Jake snapped out of it before looking over to Dave with a panicked look, "Uh, Tesseract! No! Bad dog! Worse friend! Get off of him!" The green-eyed male teen shouted, trying to get the giant white canine off of him- Tesseract was his name apparently. "Tesseract! Come on!" Eventually the dog got off of Dave, the blond groaning and sighing in relief when it does. Dave absentmindedly accepted Dirk's hand when he was offered some help to stand up, not noticing the owner's hand until he was standing up correctly about to thank him only to jolt slightly when he realized it was Dirk's hand he had grabbed. 

Dave resisted the urge to take his hand away, and just smoothed his face, nonchalantly tugging his hand away, "Thanks." He said, sound as casual as he could be. Jade decided to go with Dave, attempting to look casual as well with most success. 

That is, until the adults show up. 

"Dirk! Jake! What happened? What--" Kevin's voice faltered as he, Damien, Jude and Joey stopped right behind them. 

Double shit. 

It was somewhat tense as the four adults plus two teens stared at the two other familiar teens that stood before them, Jude and Joey English stared hard at Jade Harley while Kevin and Damien Rider stared hard at Dave St- _Harley_. 

And their day had been so great too... The question was, however, was where the  _hell_ the other three were?! 

* * *

Jake groaned, slowly coming into consciousnesses, his mind was muddled as he tried to think what happened before he had blacked out. He couldn't remember for a solid minute but soon enough he was gasping for air he didn't need as he remembered- 

_"JAKE!" Someone shouted as Bec Noir's sword buried itself in his side, he thinks it's Roxy but he can't remember, not with his vision blurring. Dirk was suddenly right behind Bec Noir with an enraged look on his face._

_"D-Dir-"_  

"DIRK!" He yelped, frantically looking around, trying to look for his ex-boyfriend. Nearly flailing in his panic, it increased when a pair of arms grabbed on to him. 

"Jake! JAKE! It's okay, you're okay!" 

The voice was familiar, where had he heard it before? 

He forced himself to be calm, breaking away from the arms to look at the owner of the voice- only to falter at the sight of the owner. 

"G-Grandma?" He gasped, scrambling back from the pile, he noted that Dirk was still unconscious on. 

There, sitting on the side of the pile, was his previously  _deceased_ grandmother, Jade _English_ , not Harley, but English.  

She looked like just like he remembered her. Old wrinkles of laughing lines on her face, her circular glasses perched on her old but firm nose and a gentle buck-toothed smile on her face, though she looked very concerned for him, just like she used to whenever he scraped a knee or get hurt back on their island before she would reassure him with a laugh saying that he was fine and help him patch himself up, teaching him what to do. Her teachings helped him a lot on Hellmurder island whenever he had gotten hurt. 

But how was she alive? Sure, he had been expecting to meet his own grandma but that was Jade! Jade Harley, the Witch of Space. 

Jaiden smiled reassuringly at him, "Hello Jake, are you feeling okay now? You and Dirk, gave us quite the scare." She said softly, resisting the urge to wince as he remembered him almost dying in her arms hours earlier. 

Jake gulped, "We?" He asked before looking around, only to gape as he sees  _Dave Strider_ , not the Knight of Time but the  _celebrity_ , Dirk's older brother! He was sitting by Dirk's side, looking all too stressed as he cradled him- how had he not notice him before? 

"I don't-  _I don't understand_ , how? How can you two be... be..." Jake sputtered, test tightening as he tried to make sense of everything. 

David chuckled bitterly, "Alive? Well, that's complicated and doesn't exactly make any fucking sense." He said, shades off and really revealing how stressed he was over the whole situation. Jane and Terezi had explained on what they could, currently it was just the four of them within the room. The others had gone to explore the... meteor that they were in. Roxy was still missing and Rosaline was trying to find her. 

The Page of Hope gulped once more before slowly stepping forward to Jaiden, the old woman just smiling reassuringly and waiting patiently. She wouldn't rush whatever Jake was doing, from what she's heard, what he was experiencing right now was intense shock- she  _had_ been dead in his perspective for years. She could only imagine how Dirk would react when he woke up since David has been... dead for centuries. And no wonder Roxy was...

Their kids -it didn't matter that this was some sort of alternate dimension or universe or such, they were  _their_ kids- had gone through so much all by themselves. It was, worrying and amazing all the same since they had accomplished through so much but also experienced things that they shouldn't have, they were too  _young_. 

Jake slowly approached her, tentatively reaching out for her. He started sniffing as tears began to cloud his eyes, "You're... really here..." He whispered as he began to touch and cradle her face. 

Jaiden's reassuring smile turned into a sad one as suddenly Jake threw himself at her, hugging her tightly as he began to cry. 

"I missed you so much Grandma!" 

Even after all these years, he had missed her terribly- having found her  _corpse_ at a young age, and forced to being independent on an island  _filled_ with monsters. His happy personality was stripped away as the young boy cried on his previously dead grandmother who cradled him in her arms. David smiled slightly at the sight but sighed and looked down to the still unconscious Dirk laying beside him. 

"Come on Dirk, wake up. Your big brother's here now..." It wasn't his Dirk, but it was still Dirk, who had grown up all alone in the middle of the  _fucking ocean_. 

* * *

' _Come on Dirk, wake up. Your big brother's here now..._ ' Dirk 's hands clenched as he heard his brother's voice whisper from the back of his mind- only, it happened the  _moment_ he looked at... his brother's younger lookalike? The teen was around his age, maybe younger, he  _literally_ looked like his brother, only younger, the same blond hair, black shades, hell- he recognized that shirt he was wearing, it was kind of different, the record was scratched instead of whole but, it was an almost identical version of it. 

Besides him was a younger version of Jake's grandma, Jude and Joey's mother. 

He had doubts over Roxy and Jane's exclamations but now... 

He wanted to know what the hell was going on.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY 
> 
> Why does every chapter kick my ass? I'm so sorry for how late this was :[  
> But hey! Progress? 
> 
> Sigh. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


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